Auqib Nabi Breaks Silence On Long Wait For India Call-Up Despite Ranji Trophy Heroics
Pacer Auqib Nabi, who also contributes with the bat, impressed one and all with his heroics on the domestic circuit.
- Auqib Nabi earned his maiden India Test call-up as the first player from Jammu and Kashmir in the format
- "I had expectations. But as a cricketer, you have to have the mindset that your job is to perform," he said
- "I did think I would get a call-up. Today or tomorrow, I will join the Indian team," he added
After a long wait, Auqib Nabi has finally earned his maiden India call-up. The right-arm pacer from Jammu and Kashmir, who also contributes with the bat, impressed one and all with his heroics on the domestic circuit. While Nabi managed to earn an opportunity in the Indian Premier League 2026, his wait to join the senior national side continued until pacer Jasprit Bumrah was ruled out. Nabi's inclusion makes him the first player from Jammu and Kashmir to be selected for the Indian Test team.
Despite dominating the domestic circuit over the past two seasons by picking up an astonishing 104 wickets, including a 60-wicket campaign that propelled Jammu and Kashmir to a historic maiden Ranji Trophy title earlier this year, the right-arm pacer was continuously passed over. However, the story changed this time.
His exclusion from India's squad for the one-off Test against Afghanistan in New Chandigarh triggered widespread outrage, as cricket-loving netizens were highly critical of the selectors for overlooking the domestic season's top wicket-taker. But Nabi, whose recent First-Class outing in Galle for India A saw him pick up six scalps, was still on top of the selectors' minds when an opening emerged.
Speaking about his maiden India call-up in a BCCI video, Nabi said, "Yes, I had expectations. But as a cricketer, you have to have the mindset that your job is to perform. The rest of the people will watch you. I did think I would get a call-up.
"Today or tomorrow, I will join the Indian team because you have been doing well for so many years; you have to reap the fruits of your hard work. I had the same mindset when I bowled; my job is to take wickets, and the rest is up to God. I feel good whenever I get a call-up. My family is happy; I cannot ask for more."
From the quiet playfields of Sheeri village in Baramulla to the highest corridors of the game, Nabi's relentless perseverance reached its rightful destination when he was included in the Indian Test squad for the upcoming two-match series in Sri Lanka, starting August 15.
(With agency inputs)