North Zone add Gurnoor Brar to Duleep squad as Auqib Nabi eyes county stint

Gurnoor Brar is set to feature for North Zone in the Duleep Trophy semi-final as selectors continue to give him red-ball exposure. Auqib Nabi, meanwhile, could get a county stint ahead of India's New Zealand tour.Duleep Trophy: Gurnoor Brar joins North Zone squad, Auqib Nabi eyes county stint (PTI Photo)Gurnoor Brar has been added to the North Zone squad for their Duleep Trophy semi-final against South Zone in Bengaluru, with the Punjab seamer expected to get another opportunity to press his case for a place in India's Test side.The semifinal will begin on Sunday at the BCCI Centre of Excellence. Gurnoor has arrived in Bengaluru after being part of India's Test squad for the series against Sri Lanka, which India won 1-0.The selectors are keen to give the 23-year-old more first-class cricket before India's next Test assignment in New Zealand in November. Gurnoor has been included in India's last two Test squads but is still waiting for his debut.His recent form has strengthened his case. During India A's shadow tour of Sri Lanka in July, Gurnoor took 10 wickets for 145 runs in the second unofficial Test. He now has 62 wickets from 19 first-class matches, with an average of 25.24. Gurnoor has also made his international debut in ODIs this year. He played against Afghanistan in June before featuring in all three matches of India's ODI series in England. His six ODI appearances have brought him 11 wickets at 32.81.ESPNcricinfo has reported that Jammu & Kashmir quick bowler Auqib is considering a short spell in the English county circuit, although the move depends on his visa being cleared. The idea is to give Nabi exposure to conditions that should suit fast bowlers. The selectors would prefer him to play county cricket rather than turn out in the Duleep Trophy at this point.Nabi was one of the standout performers in the 2025-26 Ranji Trophy season, finishing with 60 wickets at an average of 12.56 for Jammu & Kashmir. Although he did not feature during India's Test tour of Sri Lanka, he remains a contender for the New Zealand series, with his ability to move the new ball seen as a major strength.Should the county opportunity fall through, Nabi's next assignment is likely to come with India A. He could feature in their first match against Australia in Puducherry on September 22 before linking up with Jammu & Kashmir for the Irani Cup against Rest of India.That match is scheduled to take place in Srinagar from October 1 to 5.The second India A match against Australia overlaps with the Irani Cup, leaving the selectors with a selection issue to resolve. At this stage, however, the fixture schedule is not expected to change.- EndsPublished By: Saurabh KumarPublished On: Aug 29, 2026 16:18 IST