Chandigarh, May 20 -- Over the past decade, Mohali has quietly emerged as one of Punjab's most reliable nurseries for fast bowlers, churning out talent who have gone on to make their mark in the Indian Premier League and, eventually, represent India. From Manpreet Gony and Barinder Sran to Harmeet Bansal, Jaskaran Singh (he now plays for Canada) and Ashwani Kumar, the region has repeatedly showcased its rich fast-bowling pedigree. In recent years, India pacer Arshdeep Singh has become the most celebrated symbol of that legacy. Now, Mohali's conveyor belt of pacers has produced another name for the national spotlight - Gurnoor Brar. Unlike several of his predecessors who first grabbed spotlight through the glamorous IPL, Brar's rise has been shaped largely by grit, discipline and impressive red-ball performances in domestic cricket. The reward for those consistent exploits arrived on Monday when the lanky Punjab pacer earned a maiden call-up to India's ODI and Test squads for the upcoming Afghanistan series, including the one-off Test next month. His selection is also backed by India captain Shubman Gill - another proud product of Mohali's thriving cricket ecosystem. The two are said to share a close bond from their early years in Punjab cricket, and Gill has reportedly been among those who strongly believed Brar had the temperament and skillset to succeed at the highest level. Currently part of the Gujarat Titans squad in the ongoing IPL, Brar is yet to feature in a match this season. Yet, his presence within the setup has not gone unnoticed. Those around the franchise say the 25-year-old has been making the most of the opportunity, constantly interacting with coaches and senior players, soaking in tactical inputs and sharpening his game. Gujarat Titans head coach Ashish Nehra, himself one of India's finest left-arm fast bowlers, has spent considerable time working with the Punjab pacer. Former Punjab and IPL fast bowler Harmeet Bansal, who served as Punjab senior men's team bowling coach during the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons before becoming a state selector in 2025-26, remembers Brar as a bowler who never allowed setbacks to affect his focus. "Gurnoor is a wonderful fast-bowling talent," Bansal said. "I remember during the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy in Rajkot, he was left out of a Punjab T20 game. I told him not to lose heart and he handled it maturely. He understands his strengths very well." Bansal believes Brar's biggest weapon lies in his ability to hit the deck hard and extract steep bounce from even unresponsive surfaces. "He is impactful with the red ball. He bowls hard lengths, uses his height well and consistently clocks around 140 kmph," he added. Stating that Mohali's unique cricketing conditions are a major reason behind the region's continued production of quality pacers, Bansal said, "Among Punjab districts, Mohali offers some of the best wickets for fast bowlers during training. Ludhiana is another place, but Mohali wickets have always helped seamers. Whether it is the PCA Stadium wicket or the new surfaces in New Chandigarh, fast bowlers enjoy bowling there," he said. Hailing from Muktsar in Punjab's Faridkot district, Brar moved to Mohali a few years ago in pursuit of better cricketing opportunities. Standing at an imposing 6 feet 5 inches, he soon began attracting attention within the Punjab circuit because of his natural bounce and pace....