As India gear up for the second Test against England at Edgbaston, a familiar IPL face stirred curiosity during their practice session. Punjab Kings’ left-arm spinner Harpreet Brar was spotted bowling in the nets alongside the Indian Test squad in Birmingham, catching the attention of fans and media alike.

Brar, who has impressed in the IPL with his spin and lower-order batting, is not part of the official Test squad for this England tour. Interestingly, he was seen in a different training kit, indicating he has likely been brought in as a net bowler or practice guest to help the team fine-tune their preparations – not as a squad addition.

India’s bowling unit comes into the second Test under considerable pressure following a disappointing loss in Leeds. Despite Jasprit Bumrah’s five-wicket haul in the first innings, India’s attack faltered in the second as England comfortably chased down 371. The rest of the pace battery lacked consistency, while Ravindra Jadeja, India’s lone spin option in the playing XI, picked up just one wicket in the match.

As a result, changes in the bowling attack are being discussed. There’s strong chatter that Kuldeep Yadav might be included in the XI to bring more variety and attacking intent to the spin department. With Edgbaston traditionally offering assistance to spinners later in the game, Kuldeep’s wrist spin could play a strategic role, especially if the management opts to rest Bumrah to manage his workload over the long five-Test series.

Brar’s involvement at training may not hint at an imminent selection, but it does reflect the team’s thinking: they’re exploring all available spin options and ensuring the batters get quality practice against left-arm spin, which could be crucial as the series progresses.

India will be desperate to bounce back and level the series, and their team combinations, particularly in the bowling department could be the key to doing so.