The new skipper asked them to join India's practice session.
During India’s practice for the second Test against England in Birmingham, there was a sense of reunion in the air. The net sessions were not just filled with focus and energy, but with nostalgia too. The presence of Punjab bowlers, a left-arm spinner Harpreet Brar and right-arm pacer Jagjit Singh Sandhu, made the net session special. Brar, who plays for Punjab Kings (PBKS) and Sandhu, a lesser-known identity but a renowned name in domestic cricket, gave a home feeling to Indian players away from the country.
“You come to a foreign country and you see familiar faces. So you can enjoy it together,” said India pacer Arshdeep Singh in a video released by BCCI.
The PBKS spinner revealed that he got a text from the skipper, Shubman Gill. Since Brar was staying only a couple of hours away from Birmingham, he was asked to join the team. However, since he’s not a part of the squad, he was not wearing the official Test gear.
AUSA-W
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INDA-W
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AMR
140/3
SVL
139/9
Amaravati Royals beat Simhadri Vizag Lions by 7 wickets
TBW
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KNK
22/3
SVL
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BVB
–
ROR
–
KNK
–
SIN-W
171/4
CAM-W
69/7
Singapore Womens beat Cambodia Women by 102 runs
SIN-W
33/2
CAM-W
32/8
Singapore Womens beat Cambodia Women by 8 wickets
ABF
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BR
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SKA
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TKR
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ABF
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SLK
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WDL
61/2
NDT
138/8
West Delhi Lions beat New Delhi Tigers by 15 runs (D/L) method
CDK
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NDS
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SDS
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PD
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SDSW
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NDSW
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SWE
200/5
HUN
198/2
Sweden beat Hungary by 5 wickets
HUN
128/5
NOR
129/1
Norway beat Hungary by 9 wickets
NOR
149/8
SWE
150/8
Sweden beat Norway by 2 wickets
HUN
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SWE
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NOR
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SWE
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SWE
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HUN
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NOR
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HUN
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JZ-W
80/5
LL-W
79/3
Jinx Zagreb Women beat Lavender Lionesses Women by 5 wickets
JZ-W
104/5
LL-W
82/4
Jinx Zagreb Women beat Lavender Lionesses Women by 22 runs
JZ-W
87/1
LL-W
86/3
Jinx Zagreb Women beat Lavender Lionesses Women by 9 wickets
JZ-W
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LL-W
3/1
JZ-W
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LL-W
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JZ-W
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LL-W
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JZ-W
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LL-W
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MID
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YOR
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KENT
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LAN
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SOM
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BB
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NOR
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SUSS
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LEI
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ESS
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GLAM
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NOT
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WOR
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GLO
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BAN
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IND
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Match Called off
SBSCC
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RTZ
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KZK
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PCR
–
KRMPS
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NCMI
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TCC
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CEC-A
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SML
127/5
GBM
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MYW
–
HBT
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MGD
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BNB
–
MYW
–
SML
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MAT
172/6
MUT
173/0
Muscat Thunderers beat Majees Titans by 10 wickets
IAI
90/4
ROS
191/6
RNC
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YSG
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IAI
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MAT
–
ROS
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MUT
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SLGR
189/4
SLGY
166/8
SLC Greens beat SLC Greys by 23 runs
AUS
173/8
SA
172/7
Australia beat South Africa by 2 wickets
TRR
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SOB
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OVI
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WEF
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MAO
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NOS
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BIP
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LOS
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TRW-W
106/10
SBW-W
109/4
Southern Brave Women beat Trent Rockets Women by 6 wickets
OIW-W
136/5
WFW-W
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MOW-W
–
NOS-W
–
BIP-W
–
LSW-W
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MR-A
107/1
ACOM
106/9
Melbourne Renegades Academy beat Australian Capital Territory by 9 wickets
MS-A
231/4
HHA
227/3
Melbourne Stars Academy beat Hobart Hurricanes Academy by 6 wickets
PS
111/10
PSA
114/8
Perth Scorchers Academy beat Pakistan Shaheens by 2 wickets
BANA
186/6
NEP
154/7
Bangladesh A beat Nepal by 32 runs
CHK
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AS-A
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NTS
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HHA
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PSA
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BANA
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MEMA
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KASS
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The left-arm seamer failed to hide his emotions, seeing Jagjit Sandhu, his age-group cricket senior. Their bond goes back to Arshdeep’s under-16 days, when he used to idolise his senior, who played for Punjab’s under-19 team.
Arshdeep recalled, “When I was young, I used to follow him a lot. Jagjit is his name, and everyone called him Punjabi. At that time, he was playing as a senior, under-19. So, I was in the under-16 zone. Whatever he used to do, I used to try and follow him.”
Sandhu used to teach Arshdeep about the basics of fast bowling during the youngster’s early days. He also has old connections with most of the players in Team India. He has played with India’s captain Shubman Gill, vice-captain Rishabh Pant, pacer Akash Deep, and all-rounder Washington Sunder.
“So, Rishabh Pant and I played in the Under-19 Zone for One Day. Shubman Gill, when it was my last under-19 season, it was his first. I played with Akash Deep in the Delhi Cup. I played with Washington Sundar in the under-19 zonal games. He was in the South Zone; I was in the North Zone. Arshdeep is my junior. When I was 19, he was 16,” Sandhu said.
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Jagjit Singh Sandhu plays for Chandigarh in the domestic circuit. He has taken 138 wickets across all three formats, 82 scalps in First Class, 26 in List A and 30 in T20s. He is yet to play in the Indian Premier League. On the other hand, Brar has played 114 games, including 96 T20s and 18 List A matches, and has taken 87 and 19 wickets respectively. The 29-year-old’s performance was vital in PBKS’ IPL final run. He delivered his best season in IPL 2025, with 10 scalps in eight matches, averaging 19 and an economy of 8.63.
India are yet to win a Test match at Edgbaston. In eight matches played at Edgbaston, India have lost seven, while one Test resulted in a draw. Adding to their woes, India are potentially without their pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah. If he misses the Test, Arshdeep Singh may receive his maiden cap. Akash Deep is another option for India.
The new skipper, Gill, would be under immense pressure after losing the series opener at Headingley. The second Test will begin on July 2.
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