Auqib Nabi Did Enough For India Squad, Says Jaffer
On August 3, 2026, Auqib Nabi was named to India’s senior Test team for the first time, replacing Jasprit Bumrah. Bumrah’s left knee injury during the ODI series against England prohibited him from playing in the Test series against Sri Lanka, thus the Men’s Selection Committee chose the 29-year-old Jammu & Kashmiri seamer instead.
Nabi has an excellent domestic record, which supports his call-up eligibility. He got 104 wickets in the previous two Ranji Trophy seasons, including 60 in 2025-26. Nabi took six wickets in two first-class matches during India A’s recent tour of Sri Lanka before being called up to the senior squad.
Former India batsman Jaffer emphasised the importance of considering consistent home form when making selections. He underlined that Nabi’s performances across numerous Ranji Trophy seasons demonstrated the standard expected of players joining the national side.
“This is a major deal and a very joyous time. And you are completely correct that after such an impressive performance, he (Auqib Nabi) definitely should not have been brought in as a replacement in the first place. But it’s better late than never. “I’m very happy for him because he deserves to be in the starting lineup,” Jaffer remarked on his YouTube channel.
Why should Auqib Nabi have been on the first squad?
Jaffer highlighted that steady domestic performers must be recognised right immediately. He argued that Auqib Nabi Ranji Trophy record and India A experience should have been considered when announcing the squad.
Anyway, congratulations to him on becoming the first J&K player to make it into the Test team based on his performance. I hope that if given the opportunity, he can demonstrate why he has performed so well,” Jaffer remarked.
Auqib Nabi heroics contributed significantly to Jammu & Kashmir’s first Ranji Trophy victory. If Nabi makes his Test debut in Sri Lanka, he will become the first player from Jammu & Kashmir to represent India.
His selection recognises the talent emerging from domestic cricket structures and marks a watershed moment for the state’s cricket development.
