The Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee named two uncapped fast bowlers in India’s 15-member ODI squad for the Afghanistan series: Prince Yadav and Gurnoor Brar. Mohammed Siraj was rested. With the 2027 World Cup now firmly on the horizon, this series was framed explicitly as a trial of bowling profiles rather than a results exercise. These are not consolation picks. They are auditions for South Africa.
Who Are Prince Yadav and Gurnoor Brar?
Prince Yadav is a 24-year-old right-arm fast bowler from Delhi who plays for Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL. After a quiet debut IPL season in 2025, he reworked his new-ball game, adding a genuine outswinger, and became Delhi’s leading wicket-taker in the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26. Gurnoor Brar is a 25-year-old, 6’4″ right-arm fast bowler from Punjab who plays for the Gujarat Titans. Known for extracting extra bounce through his height, he has been a consistent List A performer, including a four-wicket haul in a one-run win over Mumbai this season. Agarkar flagged Brar specifically, describing him as a tall bowler with extra pace, and noted South African conditions are already shaping how the committee is building its bowling pool for 2027.
IND vs AFG ODI Squad 2026 Prince Yadav Gurnoor Brar Selection
Player | Role | Domestic Form | IPL 2026 | Why Selected |
Prince Yadav | Right-arm fast bowler | 18 wkts in 8 matches, avg 19.27, economy under 6 (Vijay Hazare 2025-26) | 16 wkts in 12 innings for LSG, avg 16.76 | New-ball swing option against Afghanistan’s left-handed top order |
Gurnoor Brar | Right-arm fast bowler (6’4″) | Multiple 4-wicket hauls for Punjab, incl. 4-for vs Mumbai (Vijay Hazare 2025-26) | Gujarat Titans squad member | Extra bounce and pace variety earmarked for the 2027 WC bowling pool |
The Domestic Form That Earned the Call-Up
Prince Yadav’s case rests on hard numbers: 18 wickets in 8 matches at an average of 19.27 and an economy under six in the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26, making him Delhi’s top wicket-taker. He backed that up in IPL 2026 with 16 wickets in 12 innings for Lucknow at an average of 16.76. The outswinger he developed over the last 18 months is the specific attribute that moved him from the wider pool to the named squad. Brar’s case is built on physical profile and List A wicket-taking: his four-wicket haul against Mumbai in the Vijay Hazare league phase was central to Punjab’s qualification, and height-generated bounce is what the committee has cited.
How Their Profiles Suit Afghanistan’s Batting Threats
Against Afghanistan’s left-handed openers Sediqullah Atal and Ibrahim Zadran, Prince Yadav’s outswinger creates early lbw and edge opportunities that conventional seam-up bowling does not. A bowler who shapes the ball away from the left-hander forces openers into a decision before their eye is in. Brar’s extra bounce, generated by his 6’4″ frame, is suited to unsettling Afghanistan’s middle order on flatter Indian surfaces where conventional seamers can be driven through the line. Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Shahidi, and Omarzai all use their bottom hand aggressively when the ball sits up. A delivery that climbs sharply off a length forces a riskier decision. That is exactly what Brar offers.
What These Picks Tell Us About the 2027 Blueprint
Neither Yadav nor Brar was selected because Afghanistan is a daunting opponent. They were selected because this low-stakes series is the ideal environment to trial bowlers whose specific skills are being earmarked for a World Cup cycle that rewards swing on South African mornings and bounce on its harder surfaces. Agarkar’s comments about South African conditions shaping the selection approach make the intent explicit. India is using the Afghanistan series as a bowling audition, not a results exercise. The IND vs AFG ODI squad 2026 Prince Yadav Gurnoor Brar selection tells us more about what Agarkar’s committee believes India needs in fourteen months than it does about who can dismiss Ibrahim Zadran in Dharamshala.
Which of these two do you think forces their way into India’s regular ODI setup before the 2027 World Cup? Drop your pick in the comments.
FAQs
Who is Prince Yadav in cricket?
Prince Yadav is a 24-year-old right-arm fast bowler from Delhi who plays for Lucknow Super Giants, taking 18 wickets in 8 Vijay Hazare Trophy matches in 2025-26 at 19.27. He earned his maiden ODI call-up after developing an outswinger that selectors earmarked for South Africa.
Who is Gurnoor Brar, and what is his bowling style?
Gurnoor Brar is a 25-year-old, 6’4″ right-arm fast bowler from Punjab who plays for the Gujarat Titans in the IPL. He earned his maiden ODI call-up after consistent List A wicket-taking for Punjab, including a four-wicket haul in a one-run win over Mumbai.
What is India’s full ODI squad for the Afghanistan series 2026?
India’s 15-member ODI squad: Shubman Gill (c), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer (vc), KL Rahul, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, Prince Yadav, Gurnoor Brar, and Harsh Dubey. Mohammed Siraj was rested.
Who are Afghanistan’s key ODI batters in 2026?
Afghanistan’s ODI batting is built around captain Hashmatullah Shahidi, openers Sediqullah Atal and Ibrahim Zadran, wicketkeeper Rahmanullah Gurbaz, and all-rounder Azmatullah Omarzai. Darwish Rasooli adds depth, while Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi anchor the bowling.