Harpreet Brar credits his consistent hard work and Punjab Kings' selective opportunities for his steady T20 success despite limited game time.
Harpreet Brar’s approach to life and cricket mirrors a 19th-century Punjabi couplet by Sufi poet Mian Muhammad Bakhsh from Saif-ul-Malook: 'Maali da kamm paani dena, bhar-bhar mashakaan paave, Maalik da kamm phal-phull laauna, laave jaan naa laave.' The verse teaches that a gardener’s duty is to water plants with full dedication, while leaving the bearing of fruit and flowers to destiny. Brar applies this principle to his cricketing journey, focusing on effort while accepting the outcomes as they come.
As a young cricketer, he attended multiple IPL trials before Punjab Kings selected him at the 2019 auction. Early opportunities were rare; in his first two seasons, he featured in just three matches. By IPL 2021, after sitting out the first five games, critics labeled him a 'water boy.' Undeterred, he continued refining his skills, and when given a chance, he delivered a standout performance by dismissing Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers, and Glenn Maxwell in a single game. The breakthrough signaled the arrival of his potential.
Over the next five years, no Punjab Kings player earned more Player-of-the-Match awards than Brar. His economy rate during this stretch stood at 7.89. Despite these achievements, he remained an irregular starter in the lineup. In IPL 2025, he was benched for the first six matches, and the following season began similarly, with him watching from the sidelines for the first seven games before finally playing against Rajasthan Royals. Even when he bowled four overs for just 25 runs in that match, the team lost as RR chased 223 in 19.2 overs. His figures were 4-0-25-0, yet his next appearance was uncertain, depending entirely on team combinations. With Cooper Connolly set to bowl left-arm spin once cleared, Brar’s opportunities were likely to shrink further.
Brar maintains a calm mindset despite limited game time. 'There are 25 people in the squad but only 12 can play,' he says. 'But you go to the ground expecting you are playing every match. That keeps you mentally prepared. If you don't get a chance, you start preparing for the next game. I think that helps me perform whenever I get an opportunity.' Though not a sharp turner of the ball, he reads batters exceptionally well, focusing on their footwork and making subtle adjustments to restrict scoring. In the IPL’s middle overs (7-16), where he bowls predominantly, his economy rate is 7.17. Since early 2021, only Sunil Narine (6.40) has a better economy rate in this phase among spinners with at least 500 deliveries.
Brar’s versatility extends beyond the middle overs. In his latest match against RR, he bowled the fifth over and conceded just two runs, even after Yashasvi Jaiswal raced to 21 off seven balls. At death, he can execute yorkers effectively. 'It's more about what your captain wants and what the situation demands,' he explains. 'I think I am brave that way - when the captain asks, I always put my hand up. In the nets, I practise with the new ball, the old ball and also with a wet ball. You should be fully prepared so that when you have to do it in the match, it doesn't feel alien.' His ability to adapt is a key strength.
Brar is one of the few left-arm spinners equally effective against right-hand and left-hand batters. Since 2021, his IPL economy rate against right-hand batters is 7.76, while against left-handers it is 8.05, the best among left-arm spinners who have bowled at least 50 balls to left-handers in this period. When asked about his strategy against left-hand batters, he notes, 'Every left-arm spinner has the same plan: not to bowl in their arc and try to get them off strike. Yes, it is easier for a left-hand batter to play a left-arm spinner but if I want to play for India, then it shouldn't matter whether a right-hander is on strike or a left-hander. We have a lot of left-hand batters in our team: Priyansh Arya, Nehal Wadhera, Harnoor Pannu, Cooper Connolly. When I bowl to them in the nets, I see what deliveries they attack, what kind of fields I can set, how I can give them a single, how I can bowl a dot ball. If there is a chance of getting hit, there is also a chance of taking a wicket.'
Brar relies on tactical input from the team’s video analyst to refine his bowling. Reflecting on a 2022 match against Sunrisers Hyderabad, he recalls, 'Our video analyst told me that [Aiden] Markram waits on the back foot against spinners. So I decided I would not give him an easy ball to play off the back foot.' Despite Markram hitting a couple of front-foot shots off the back foot through covers, Brar soon dismissed him by stumping him using the same strategy. His willingness to learn and adjust plays a crucial role in his success.
Brar’s positive outlook was tested in 2024 when he suffered an ACL injury during a Ranji Trophy practice match, forcing him to spend two months on bed rest. 'I had never been injured before, so it was very tough for me. At one point, I feared I might not be able to run again. I was supposed to make my Ranji Trophy debut that season after travelling with the squad for four years. After the injury, I felt dejected.' He made his Ranji Trophy debut last season, playing four games and taking 23 wickets, including an 11-wicket haul against Saurashtra. This experience reinforced his belief in destiny. 'Things happen when they are meant to happen,' he says. 'You just need to keep doing your work sincerely. I did not always think this way, but certain incidents, including the ACL tear, changed my perspective. And this applies not just to cricket, but to life itself.'