Call-up surprises Farmer’s son Brainder Sran

The biggest surprise in the announcement of India squad for the forthcoming Australia tour is the inclusion of Brainder Sran, but the Punjab left-arm pacer had no clue about the Saturday’s selection committee meeting in New Delhi.

He was informed about the call-up by his state team-mates when he landed in Bengaluru for the Vijay Hazare knockouts. “I am very happy and excited. A lot of people were talking about the possibility of my inclusion, but I was not sure it would come so soon. It’s a pleasant surprise,” Sran, who celebrated his 24th birthday a week ago, said.

“The first person I called was my father (Balbir Singh) and had a brief chat with my family members. My mother (Jaspreet Kaur) and younger sister (Rupinder Kaur) are very happy. My father is a farmer and our family stays in Panniwala (in Haryana) which is a small village,” he added.

During a recent Ranji Trophy match in Dindigul (Tamil Nadu), Australian umpire John Ward was seriously injured when he was struck on the head by a Sran shot.

Sran said he would like to meet Ward at his home Down Under. “It was a freak accident. If I get an opportunity, I would like to meet him.”