India named four uncapped players across their Test and ODI squads for the upcoming home series against Afghanistan. Here’s how they found their way to the team.
Who are the four uncapped players picked in India's squad for home series against Afghanistan?
Gurnoor Brar
The tall, right-arm quick was first spotted by current India Test captain Shubman Gill during the latter’s India Under-19 days. Gill helped him get into the Mohali district team before a call-up to Punjab’s under-23 squad came along. Brar debuted for Punjab in the Vijay Hazare Trophy in 2021 and made his first-class entry the following year in the Ranji Trophy, returning figures of 4-16 against Railways on debut.
He also played his first IPL match in 2023, for the Punjab Kings, but a disc bulge, which later became a fracture, kept him out of the following domestic season. Upon his return from injury, Brar took 26 wickets at 20.30 each in seven matches of the 2024/25 Ranji season. He also impressed in the India A 'Tests' against Australia A in 2025, taking eight wickets in three innings. Chief selector Ajit Agarkar highlighted that Brar’s height, at 6ft 5in, was a prime factor in his selection for both the Test and ODI squads for the Afghanistan series.
Also read: Why India picked Gurnoor Brar for Afghanistan Test over domestic giant Auqib Nabi
Harsh Dubey
Dubey, like Brar, was named in both squads. With both Axar Patel and Ravindra Jadeja rested, the selectors felt this would be a good time to blood in youngsters and Dubey, along with another left-arm finger spinner, Manav Suthar (only Tests), received his maiden international call-up.
The bowling all-rounder notably holds the record of the most wickets taken in a single Ranji Trophy season, with 69 wickets at 16.98 for Vidarbha, and seven five-wicket hauls, in the 2024/25 season. Dubey was rewarded with a call-up to the India A squad following the record-breaking season, playing against England Lions and South Africa in 2025, while also starring in Vidarbha’s Irani Cup win with a six-wicket match haul.
Dubey made his IPL debut in the same year after SRH signed him as an injury replacement, and was retained by the franchise ahead of the 2026 season. He has 133 wickets in 27 first-class matches at 23.26, and 31 wickets in 30 List A games. In T20s, Dubey has taken 34 wickets in 38 matches, with an economy rate of 7.57.
Manav Suthar
Manav Suthar has been knocking on the door for a senior India call-up for quite some time now, and could have made his international bow earlier if not for the presence of Jadeja and Axar Patel (earlier R Ashwin). With the two senior spinners not around for Afghanistan’s visit, Suthar has finally been named in an India squad for the first time.
He made his first-class debut for Rajasthan in the 2021/22 season, playing two games, and followed it up with a remarkable second season, taking 39 wickets in six matches at 20.33. It earned him an India A spot for the England Lions’ visit in January 2024, before he toured Australia later that year. He was also part of the A squad for Australia and South Africa’s visit in September-October 2025.
In 29 first-class matches, he has 129 wickets at 25.76, with six five-wicket hauls and three ten-wicket match hauls.
Prince Yadav
Signed for his base price of INR 30 lakh at the 2025 IPL auction by LSG, Prince Yadav has been one of the breakout stars in the ongoing season. A wily customer, adept at bowling with both new and old balls, the 24-year-old made his professional debut less than two years ago, in November 2024, after an impactful Delhi Premier League, where he picked up 13 wickets in 10 matches.
His first Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy season, in 2024/25, saw him finish with an economy rate of 7.54 while taking 11 wickets, the most for Delhi. He then emerged as the top wicket-taker for them in the Vijay Hazare Trophy as well. Prince has been in a similar vein of form for LSG this IPL season, having taken 16 wickets in 13 matches before the Rajasthan Royals clash, six more than LSG’s second-highest wicket-taker this season, Mohsin Khan. He was also in the news after dismissing Virat Kohli in the season, a few days after taking advice from the RCB batter.
He is among the four quicks named in the ODI squad, and is in line for an international debut. In 14 List A games, Prince has taken 29 wickets at 20.31.
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