India’s preparations for the second Test against England at Edgbaston received a surprise twist as left-arm spinner Harpreet Brar was seen bowling at the nets in Birmingham. Brar, who plays for Punjab Kings in the Indian Premier League, was personally invited by India captain Shubman Gill to join the training session. This development sparked discussions about India’s potential spin strategy, especially after their disappointing bowling performance in the first Test at Headingley.

Brar, 29, was visiting his wife’s family in Swindon when Gill reached out to him. "My wife is from Swindon. It's very close to Birmingham, it's a 1 to 1.5-hour drive. I was talking to Shubman, he texted me yesterday. So I thought, let’s go and practice there," Brar shared in a video released by the BCCI. He was spotted in non-official training attire, clearly not a squad member, but brought in as a guest net bowler. The move has drawn attention ahead of the Edgbaston Test, which starts on July 2.

India’s bowling attack faced criticism after their loss in the first Test, where despite Jasprit Bumrah’s five-wicket haul in the first innings, the pace unit lacked consistency and their lone spinner, Ravindra Jadeja, struggled with only one wicket across both innings. The inclusion of Brar in nets has raised speculation about a possible spin combination change, including the potential inclusion of Kuldeep Yadav in the XI.

Adding to the intrigue, young Chandigarh fast bowler Jagjit Singh Sandhu was also seen bowling in the nets. His presence, along with Brar’s, reflects the team management’s intent to test fresh combinations and simulate match scenarios more effectively. As India looks to bounce back, team decisions at Edgbaston especially regarding the inclusion or rest of Bumrah will be closely watched.