Gurnoor Brar’s father wanted him to follow in his footsteps and chase a career in basketball. But for him, the love for cricket reigned supreme. Years down the line, the Muktsar-born pacer has earned an India call-up for the upcoming One-Day International (ODI) and Test series against Afghanistan.
Gurnoor’s father ASI Sukhvir Singh Brar was a national-level cager. But despite the family’s initial objections, Gurnoor continued to put in hours of practice on the cricket crease. “He was not deterred by the heat, the cold and the fatigue,” his mother, Manwinder Kaur Brar, said.
The right-arm fast bowler from Kheowali village has become the latest cricketing success story from Malwa — following the likes of Fazilka’s Shubman Gill and Moga’s Harmanpreet Kaur.
Standing 6 feet 5 inches tall, the youngster who turns 26 on May 25 clocks speeds of over 145 kmph. He is currently busy with his IPL duties for the Gujarat Titans and has also played for Punjab Kings.
His mother recalled how Gurnoor put his foot down when he was still in Class X. Despite injuries and other hurdles, he continued to chase his cricketing dream. “He admires former India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh and often watched videos of South African fast bowling legend Dale Steyn,” she said.
Family members said Gurnoor had always aspired to don the Indian jersey. His selection brought celebrations both to Mohali, where the family now lives, and to Kheowali, where his grandparents reside. His younger brother, Varnoor Brar, also plays cricket for Mohali.
Gurnoor studied at Ryan International School, Sector 49, Chandigarh, and completed his BA from DAV College, Sector 10, last year.
Gurnoor was among Punjab’s leading wicket-takers in the Ranji Trophy and also claimed an impressive haul in the Sher-e-Punjab League in Mohali.
Relatives said the youngster has remained grounded throughout his upward career trajectory. His maternal uncle, Sarabjit Singh Dhaliwal, who hails from Bhagsar village, said, “For us, his success means so much more. It has brought pride to Punjab.”
Gurnoor’s cousin, Savneetinder Singh Dhaliwal, also expressed joy at the pacer achieving his life-long goal of making Team India. His old friend, Sherbaz Singh Fattanwala, reminisced over the past, saying, “It feels like yesterday that Gurnoor would come to Muktsar to play tournaments here.”
