Ind vs Eng 2nd Test: Harpreet Brar reveals how a text from Shubman Gill got him to join India’s practice sessions in Birmingham

Harpreet Brar. File pic

Ahead of Team India's second Test match against England, spinner Harpreet Brar was seen bowling during the visitors' net session. He also stated that a text message from skipper Shubman Gill got him to bowl in Birmingham.

Speaking about the message, Brar said, "I was talking to Shubman yesterday and he sent me a text. I thought, let's go and practice there (in Birmingham). It's a different feeling, it feels like we have come together as a family".

"I met my friends on foreign soil. My wife is from Swindon. It's quite close, a one and a half hour drive from Birmingham," he added.

Along with Brar, Team India's net session also had the likes of Chandigarh pacer Jagjit Singh Sandhu. He said that all Indian players were surprised after looking at him.

"It didn't feel like I hadn't spoken to them for a long time. They were all like, oh? They were all surprised. I play first class cricket for Chandigarh. Then I got to know of this and came here to bowl in the nets session of the Indian team," said Jagjit.

Jagjit is familiar with a alot of faces in the Indian team as he has earlier played age-group cricket with other players.

"So Rishabh Pant and I played together in the U19 zone one-day competition. Shubman Gill was in first season in the U19 zone, while it was my last season in that age-group," said the pacer.

Further speaking, he also said that left-arm pacer Arsdeep Singh is his junior and has also played U19 cricket tournaments with Washington Sundar.

"I played with Akash Deep in the Duleep Trophy. I played with Washington Sundar in the U19 zone. He was in the South Zone and I was in the North Zone. Arshdeep is my junior. When I was in the U19 zone, he was in the U16 zone," he added.

"When Arshdeep was in U16, I used to tell him how to bowl and take a run up. He still asks me which ball is better and how should I bowl to a batter and get swing. I feel very proud when I see Arshdeep doing what he is doing now," said the 28-year-old pacer.

India will kick off their second Test match against England at the Edgbaston Cricket Ground in Birmingham on July 2.

(With IANS Inputs)