Just pause for a moment and consider everything competing for a cricket fan’s attention right now.
The FIFA World Cup is underway in the United States. The Women’s World Cup is unfolding in England. Meanwhile, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s heated exchange in Sri Lanka is generating headlines and debate across the cricketing world.
Against that backdrop, an India-Afghanistan ODI in Lucknow might not seem like essential viewing. For many fans, it could easily get lost in the sporting noise.
But I’ll be tuning in.
Not because of the result, which feels secondary in a one-sided series, but because I want to see more of two intriguing newcomers: Gurnoor Brar and Harsh Dubey.
Both made encouraging starts to their international careers in Dharamsala and, more importantly, showed qualities that suggest they could have a future beyond this series.
Brar immediately caught the eye. There was genuine pace, bounce and presence about his bowling. He looked capable of unsettling batters, not just through skill but through attitude. The ball climbed awkwardly, forcing mistakes and creating uncertainty. It was the sort of debut that made you sit up and take notice.
His journey makes the story even more compelling. Just six years ago, Brar was serving as a ball boy for Mumbai Indians. To go from the boundary ropes to wearing India’s colours is a reminder of how quickly fortunes can change in cricket when talent meets opportunity.
Dubey’s debut was impressive for different reasons. The left-arm spinner endured a difficult start, with his opening over proving expensive. Lesser players can retreat into their shells after such a beginning. Dubey responded by fighting back, claiming three wickets and causing Afghanistan’s batters significant problems during the middle overs.
That resilience may ultimately prove just as important as the wickets themselves.
The challenge for Dubey is that opportunities could be limited. With only two matches remaining in the series, this may be his best chance to establish himself. Beyond that, competition for places becomes significantly tougher.
Yet India’s need for a quality left-arm spinning option remains. Axar Patel appears to have slipped down the pecking order, while Ravindra Jadeja is in the latter stages of a remarkable career. Identifying the next left-arm spinner must be part of India’s long-term planning.
For now, Brar and Dubey have given selectors and fans plenty to think about. Both earned praise from Shubman Gill and Ravichandran Ashwin after their debuts.
The next two matches may not command global attention. But for these two young cricketers, they could be enormously significant.
