Former Sri Lanka all-rounder Farveez Maharoof has identified uncapped pacer Gurnoor Brar as a potential ‘X-factor’ for India in the upcoming Test series against Sri Lanka, which is set to commence on August 15 in Galle. Maharoof expressed his inclination to see Brar make his Test debut, especially given the absence of Jasprit Bumrah.
Brar, who is part of India’s squad for the Test series, made his international debut in an ODI against Afghanistan earlier this year. He has taken 11 wickets in six innings, averaging 32.81. In first-class cricket, the pacer has claimed 62 wickets in 19 matches with an average of 25.24, including four four-wicket hauls, two five-wicket hauls, and a 10-wicket match haul.
Brar’s potential impact
During an interaction, Maharoof highlighted Brar’s attributes, stating, “I like Gurnoor Brar. I think he can be an X-factor. He has the bounce, pace, the fighting spirit, and he can be nasty.” Maharoof pointed to Brar’s performance in India’s warm-up game against Sri Lanka XI, where he secured three wickets and caused discomfort for several batters with Test experience.
Maharoof acknowledged that Brar’s limited Test experience could make his selection a risk. However, he believes Brar’s ability to generate pace and bounce could make him a valuable asset in short, impactful spells. “If I am the think tank of India, I will be tempted to try Brar. I know he has not played red-ball cricket and has just played white-ball cricket for India, but he brings that X-factor, those short spells where you just want to break the rhythm of the batter. He can be a lethal weapon,” he added.
Brar was also part of India A’s tour to Sri Lanka last month, where he achieved a 10-wicket haul in the first match at Galle.
Squad and key players
Maharoof also praised India captain Shubman Gill, who will lead the team in the two-Test series. He described Gill as a “quality player” and “one of the best going around,” noting his Test average this year. Gill’s performance in the second innings of the warm-up match was also highlighted by Maharoof.
The India squad for the Sri Lanka Tests includes:
- Shubman Gill (Captain)
- KL Rahul (Vice-Captain)
- Yashasvi Jaiswal
- Rishabh Pant (WK)
- Sarfaraz Khan
- Dhruv Jurel (WK)
- Ravindra Jadeja
- Kuldeep Yadav
- Manav Suthar
- Mohammed Siraj
- Prasidh Krishna
- Gurnoor Brar
- Devdutt Padikkal
- Saransh Jain
- Auqib Nabi
Maharoof also mentioned Rishabh Pant as a potentially dangerous player who could quickly alter the course of a game with his unorthodox technique. Pant scored 2 and 28 in the warm-up game. Maharoof stated, “If I were in the Sri Lankan dressing room, I would be very worried about Rishabh Pant. He is a player who, within half an hour or 45 minutes, can completely change the game.”
Regarding spin options, Maharoof believes Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav will be the primary choices. He also suggested that Manav Suthar, a young left-arm spinner who took seven wickets on his debut against Afghanistan, could have an advantage due to his ability to generate bounce, despite the presence of Saransh Jain, an uncapped off-spinner who also performed well with seven wickets and an unbeaten 70 in India A’s tour to Sri Lanka.
Series prediction
Maharoof anticipates a 1-1 draw in the series, highlighting the challenge Indian batters will face against Sri Lankan spinners, particularly Prabath Jayasuriya, who is known as the ‘King of Galle’. He emphasized that Jayasuriya will be a significant challenge for the Indian batters, especially with the crosswind expected to be a factor in Galle.
The former all-rounder believes India is a strong side, particularly with Ravindra Jadeja batting at number 7, and expects Jadeja to have a major influence on the series. The Test series is scheduled to begin on August 15.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
