Gurnoor Brar drafted into North Zone Duleep side as Auqib Nabi eyes county move
Gurnoor Brar has been added to North Zone's squad for the Duleep Trophy semi-final against South Zone in Bengaluru, a match due to start on Sunday at the BCCI Centre of Excellence, while Jammu & Kashmir pacer Auqib Nabi is exploring a short stint in the English county circuit pending visa clearance.
Brar arrived in Bengaluru after being part of India's Test squad for the series in Sri Lanka, which India won 1-0. The 23-year-old has been named in India’s last two Test squads but is yet to make his debut. Selectors want him to play more first-class cricket ahead of India’s next Test assignment in New Zealand in November.
On the India A shadow tour of Sri Lanka in July, Brar claimed 10 wickets for 145 in the second unofficial Test. His overall first-class record now stands at 62 wickets from 19 matches at an average of 25.24.
Brar has also played six One-Day Internationals this year; he debuted against Afghanistan in June and took part in all three matches of India’s ODI series in England. Across those six appearances he has 11 wickets at an average of 32.81.
ESPNcricinfo has reported that Auqib Nabi is considering a short county spell, with the move contingent on his visa being cleared. The reported plan is to give Nabi exposure to conditions that are expected to suit fast bowlers, and selectors would prefer a county stint over Duleep Trophy participation at this stage.
Nabi was one of the leading performers in the 2025-26 Ranji Trophy, finishing with 60 wickets at an average of 12.56 for Jammu & Kashmir. He did not play during India’s Test tour of Sri Lanka but remains a contender for the New Zealand series, with his ability to move the new ball noted as a strength.
Should the county opportunity not materialise, Nabi is likely to join India A and could feature in their first match against Australia in Puducherry on September 22 before rejoining Jammu & Kashmir for the Irani Cup against Rest of India in Srinagar from October 1 to 5. The second India A match against Australia overlaps with the Irani Cup, creating a selection issue for the national selectors, though the fixture schedule is not expected to change.
North Zone will meet South Zone in the Duleep semi-final at the BCCI Centre of Excellence on Sunday, and Brar’s appearance offers the selectors another chance to assess his readiness for a potential Test call-up ahead of the New Zealand tour in November.
