Farvez Maharoof, former Sri Lanka all-rounder, believes young Indian pacer Gurnoor Brar could be the X-factor for India in the upcoming two-match Test series against Sri Lanka in the absence of senior fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah.
India and Sri Lanka will play each other in a two-Test series starting from August 15 at Galle International Stadium, with the opening match set to take place.
India will enter the series without Bumrah, who failed to recover in time from a knee injury. The experienced fast bowler was initially expected to return to the Test side, but persistent swelling reportedly delayed his comeback after medical staff at the BCCI Centre of Excellence.
Bumrah’s absence leaves India without one of the most dangerous fast bowlers in world cricket, particularly with regard to extracting wickets with an older ball and producing reverse swing.
Mohammed Siraj is expected to lead the pace attack, and Prasidh Krishna and Gurnoor Brar are also in the bowling group.
Maharoof Backs Gurnoor Brar to Make an Impact
Maharoof was impressed by Brar’s performance during the recently concluded warm-up match between India and Sri Lanka Cricket XI.
The former Sri Lankan all-rounder thinks Brar has the pace and bounce that could trouble Sri Lankan batters, especially in short spells when India needs a quick breakthrough.
Maharoof believes that Bumrah’s power to reverse swing the older ball is a big loss for India. Although he appreciated Siraj’s talent, he suggests that India may not have as much wicket-taking threat as Bumrah usually provides.
Maharoof, however, sees Brar as a possible solution.
He described the young pacer as someone who can bring pace, bounce, and aggression to the attack and potentially unsettle batters.
Brar Yet to Make Test Debut
Brar is part of India’s Test squad for the Sri Lanka series but is yet to make his Test debut for the senior Indian team.
The pacer was fast-tracked into India’s white-ball setup earlier this year and has got opportunities in limited-overs cricket.
His selection in the Test squad now gives him a chance to make an impression in the longer format.
Maharoof believes the youngster should be seriously considered for the opening Test in Galle despite his limited experience at the international level.
Sri Lanka's former all-rounder said if he were in the Indian selection group, he would be tempted to give Brar an opportunity because of the unique qualities he could bring to the attack.
Maharoof notes that Brar could be particularly effective in short bursts when India needs to disrupt a batter’s rhythm or force an attacking player into making a mistake.
Three-Spinners Combination Likely
Maharoof also made his assessment of India’s likely bowling combination for the Test series.
He expects India to have three frontline spinners in Galle, with Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav being able to take two of those positions.
The third place could be fought between Manav Suthar and Saransh Jain.
Maharoof believes Suthar could have an advantage because he could generate bounce from the surface.
Galle is famous for offering assistance to spin bowling, and India could be able to exploit those circumstances by rolling out multiple spinners.
Maharoof said he would expect India to use Jadeja and Kuldeep alongside either Suthar or Jain.
Why Manav Suthar Could Get the Nod
While an off-spinner would provide a greater range to India’s attack, Maharoof thinks Suthar’s ability to extract bounce could be particularly useful in Galle.
A spinner with a bit of bounce can be a problem for the batters even if the surface is not turning sharply. The bounce can make the shot miss and the edges get pushed, and the defensive strategy can be thrown out of kilter.
Suthar could therefore provide India with a different kind of threat alongside the experience of Jadeja and the variations of Kuldeep.
India’s Bowling Strategy Under Focus
With Bumrah not available, India’s bowling combination will be one of the major talking points ahead of the first Test.
Siraj is expected to take on more responsibility with the new ball, while Prasidh Krishna may lead with his pace and bounce. Brar, in addition, could offer an attacking option that could disturb the batters with his pace.
The spin department is expected to remain at the center of India’s plans in Galle, with Jadeja and Kuldeep expected to play a prominent role.
Whether India opts for experience or takes a chance on Brar will be closely watched when the team combination is announced.
For Maharoof, however, the young pacer could be precisely the kind of unpredictable weapon India needs to compensate for the absence of Bumrah.
The two-Test series will also offer Brar an opportunity to establish himself as a Test match player in India’s Test setup for the first time, and the Galle conditions would be interesting to test his ability to combine pace, bounce, and an aggressive game plan with red-ball cricket.
