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"Shubman Gill Texted Me": Harpreet Brar Reveals How He Landed At India’s Net Session

Rajgeeta Yadav

Shubman Gill texted Harpreet Brar [Source: Bcci.tv]Shubman Gill texted Harpreet Brar [Source: Bcci.tv]

Ahead of the second Test against England at Edgbaston, cricket fans noticed something interesting, Punjab Kings spinner Harpreet Brar was seen bowling at the Indian team’s net practice session. The 29-year-old left-arm spinner, who has impressed in the Indian Premier League (IPL) this season, has not yet played for India, but his presence at the nets raised many eyebrows.

Harpreet was wearing a black training kit, clearly showing he was there as a net bowler, helping the Indian batters prepare. This was not an official part of the squad, but his involvement made people curious about India’s plans, especially after their heavy loss in the first Test at Headingley.

Harpreet Brar Joins India’s Nets After Gill’s Personal Request

The story behind how Harpreet joined the team nets is quite simple and friendly. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) shared a video where Harpreet explained that he was staying in Swindon, his wife’s hometown, which is about a 1 to 1.5-hour drive from Birmingham. 

"My wife is from Swindon. It's very close to Birmingham, it's a 1-1.5 hour drive. I was talking to Shubman (Gill), he texted me yesterday. So I thought let's go and practice there (Birmingham)," Brar said.

Along with Harpreet Brar, a young pacer from Chandigarh, Jagjit Singh Sandhu, also joined the nets as a guest bowler. This shows the Indian team’s effort to improve and strengthen their bowling ahead of a crucial Test match.

India’s bowling attack came under heavy criticism after the first Test. Although Jasprit Bumrah took five wickets in the first innings, the attack struggled in the second innings as England chased down a huge target of 371 runs quite comfortably. The other pacers couldn’t maintain pressure, and the lone spinner, Ravindra Jadeja, managed only one wicket in the whole match.

Kuldeep Yadav Likely To Play 2nd Test vs England

With the bowling performance in question, India is thinking about changes. There is talk that Kuldeep Yadav, a wrist spinner, might be brought into the playing XI to add variety and attacking options to the spin department. Since Edgbaston is known to help spinners as the game progresses, Kuldeep could play a key role if the team decides to rest Bumrah to manage his fitness across the long Test series.

While Harpreet Brar’s time at the nets doesn’t guarantee he will make his India debut soon, it signals that the team management is exploring all spin options. They want their batters to face good quality left-arm spin in practice, which might become important as the series goes on.

India will be eager to bounce back in the second Test and level the series.