Aakash Chopra, former Indian cricketer and commentator, has proposed for young fast bowler Gurnoor Brar to be given opportunities in all three formats and noted that regular exposure will make India better prepared for international tournaments.
Chopra's comments come after Brar’s promising start to international cricket. The 26-year-old right-arm pacer made his ODI debut against Afghanistan on 13 June 2026 and has appeared in six ODIs and taken 11 wickets at an economy rate of 6.96. But he has yet to make his T20I or Test debut.
Chopra wants more opportunities for Brar
Chopra believes that restricting Brar to one format could slow his development, especially because Test cricket does not take place as frequently as the shorter formats.
India's recent two-match Test series against Sri Lanka concluded in August, and the next Test assignments will take place later in the year and into January. Chopra then wondered if waiting for Test opportunities would provide Brar with enough competitive exposure.
The former India opener suggested a young player needs to be tested in different conditions and situations before being entrusted with an important role in a major tournament.
"If someone has just started, you also want to give him a lot of opportunities," Chopra said on his YouTube channel, advocating exposure to ODIs and T20Is alongside Tests.
‘Little, little tests’ can help India
Chopra's main argument is that India should use upcoming matches as opportunities to evaluate Brar gradually.
He described these opportunities as “little, little tests” that can reveal how the fast bowler reacts to different match situations. The objective, Chopra said, would be to make sure that Brar is fully prepared when the stakes become higher.
The next ODI World Cup is also a big factor in the discussion. Chopra said pace and bounce are relevant in South African conditions, and Brar has good potential to be a player well ahead of the tournament.
For India, having another fast-bowling option that is able to provide a reliable fast bowler in the team would add to the depth of the team and help the squad to manage the workloads of established pace bowlers.
Workload management should not mean only rest
Chopra also had a different view on workload management. Young fast bowlers need to be protected from excessive workloads and injury problems, but he said, “Just to leave a player out of matches does not mean that workload management is effective.”
Chopra also says bowlers need to develop stamina through regular bowling. Brar should be managed carefully but still allowed to play across formats.
The approach would allow India's team management to monitor his physical condition while simultaneously assessing his technical and tactical development.
Brar's growing importance
Brar has already attracted attention because of his pace and bounce. Before his international debut, he had already had extensive first-class experience, taking 62 wickets in 19 matches. He was then included in India's squad for the Afghanistan series in June.
As a matter of fact, he has made his performances a potential candidate for India’s future pace attack, although he is still in the early stage of his international career.
Chopra’s recommendation, therefore, is less about immediately making Brar a permanent all-format player and more about giving selectors enough evidence to determine where he fits best.
Road to the World Cup
With India’s eyes on big-ticket tournaments, reliable fast-bowling has to be a priority. Brar’s development could be an important part of that process.
Regular, but carefully timed, opportunities in Tests, ODIs and T20Is would give India a clearer picture of his strengths, fitness and adaptability.
For Brar, the challenge now is to translate early promise into consistent performances. If he can respond positively to the “little, little tests” Chopra has suggested, his place in India's long-term plans could be more secure.
