North Zone have added Gurnoor Brar to their squad for the Duleep Trophy 2026-27 semi-final against South Zone, which begins on Sunday at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru. The Punjab fast bowler joins the squad after being part of India’s recent Test assignment in Sri Lanka, where the visitors secured a 1-0 series win.
The selectors are keen to give Brar regular red-ball cricket ahead of India’s two-Test tour of New Zealand in November. The 23-year-old is expected to play a key role in the semi-final and could be included in North Zone’s playing XI from the opening day. Brar is yet to make his Test debut but has featured in India’s last two Test squads. His consistent performances have also kept him within the BCCI’s targeted development programme for more than a year.
Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir pacer Auqib Nabi has not been included in the North Zone squad for the semi-final. According to ESPNcricinfo, the national selectors are exploring the possibility of sending Nabi to England for a short County Championship stint, subject to his visa being approved. The move would allow the pacer to gain experience in conditions that traditionally offer assistance to fast bowlers.
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Brar’s first-class record further strengthens his case. In 19 matches, he has picked up 62 wickets at an average of 25.24. His latest standout performance came during India A’s tour of Sri Lanka in July, when he claimed 10 wickets for 145 runs in the second unofficial Test.
The young pacer has also made progress in white-ball cricket. Brar made his ODI debut against Afghanistan in June and subsequently played all three ODIs during India’s tour of England. He has taken 11 wickets in six ODI appearances at an average of 32.81, highlighting his growing importance across formats.
Some #DuleepTrophy North Zone updates
1. Gurnoor Brar has joined squad and will replace Sunil Kumar in XI.
2. After getting tremendous flak, NZ coaches Ajay Sharma and Sarandeep Singh have decided to include Sanat Sangwan.
3. Ayush Badoni had fever and tonsil related problems but…— Kushan Sarkar (@kushansarkar) August 29, 2026
Nabi, meanwhile, enjoyed a remarkable Ranji Trophy campaign in the 2025-26 season. He finished as Jammu and Kashmir’s leading wicket-taker with 60 wickets at an impressive average of 12.56. Despite being part of India’s Test squad for Sri Lanka, he did not feature in a match. The pacer remains firmly in contention for India’s New Zealand tour, particularly because of his ability to generate movement with the new ball.
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If Nabi’s proposed County stint does not materialise, he could feature in India A’s first four-day match against Australia A in Puducherry from September 22. He may then join Jammu and Kashmir for the Irani Cup against Rest of India in Srinagar from October 1 to 5. The packed domestic calendar could force the selectors to carefully manage their resources, with the second India A game against Australia A overlapping with the Irani Cup.
North Zone squad: Kanhaiya Wadhawan (C/WK), Ayush Badoni (VC), Sanat Sangwan, Yash Dhull, Ayush Doseja, Nishant Sindhu, Anshul Kamboj, Nikhil Kashyap, Qamran Iqbal, Abdul Samad, Abid Mushtaq, Sunil Kumar, Sahil Lotra, Arshdeep Singh, Arjun Sharma and Gurnoor Brar.
