Former all-rounder names uncapped Gurnoor Brar as India's potential 'x-factor' before the Sri Lanka Test series.

India is gearing up to kick off a two-match Test series against Sri Lanka, commencing on August 15 in Galle. The Indian squad features uncapped pacer Gurnoor Brar, who has garnered attention from former Sri Lankan all-rounder Farveez Maharoof, who believes Brar could be a significant asset for the team. Brar made his international debut earlier this year in an ODI against Afghanistan and has since taken 11 wickets in six innings, averaging 32.81. His first-class cricket statistics are equally impressive, with 62 wickets in 19 matches at an average of 25.24, including four four-wicket hauls, two five-wicket hauls, and a ten-wicket match haul.

During a recent media interaction organized by Sony Sports Network, Maharoof expressed his confidence in Brar's abilities, describing him as a potential game-changer for the Indian side. "I like Gurnoor Brar. I think he can be an X-factor. He has the bounce, pace, the fighting spirit, and he can be nasty," Maharoof stated. Brar's performance in a warm-up match against the Sri Lanka XI further solidified Maharoof's endorsement, as he took three wickets and posed challenges to several seasoned batters. "If you watched the warm-up match, some of the deliveries he bowled against the batters who have already played Tests made them quite uneasy," Maharoof noted, adding that some players even received body blows from his deliveries.

While acknowledging Brar's limited Test experience, Maharoof believes that his ability to generate pace and bounce could be advantageous in short spells. "If I am part of India's think tank, I would be tempted to try Brar. He brings that X-factor, those short spells where you want to disrupt the batter's rhythm. He can be a lethal weapon," he remarked.

In addition to his praise for Brar, Maharoof also commended Indian captain Shubman Gill, who will lead the team in the upcoming series. "Shubman Gill is a quality player. He is one of the best going around; his Test average this year is around 70. Numbers speak for themselves," Maharoof said, highlighting Gill's impressive performance in the second innings of the warm-up match. "He is one of the best not only in Tests but across all formats," he added.

The Indian squad for the Test series includes Shubman Gill (Captain), KL Rahul (Vice-Captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant (WK), Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel (WK), Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Manav Suthar, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Gurnoor Brar, Devdutt Padikkal, Saransh Jain, and Auqib Nabi.