Jammu & Kashmir pacer Auqib Nabi has finally earned his maiden call-up to India’s Test squad for the Sri Lanka tour after Jasprit Bumrah was ruled out with an injury.

Nabi’s selection comes after a remarkable Ranji Trophy season, where he played a key role in helping Jammu & Kashmir win their maiden title. Despite his impressive performances, the 29-year-old was overlooked by the selectors on earlier occasions.

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Speaking ahead of the two-Test series, Nabi admitted that he had expected an India call-up sooner but decided to keep his focus on performing well whenever he got the opportunity.

 

Interestingly, Nabi did not expect to be called up after the squad for the Sri Lanka tour was announced. He had already started preparing to join the Jammu & Kashmir camp ahead of the 2026-27 domestic season when he received the call from the BCCI.

He then quickly made his way to Sri Lanka to join the Indian squad.

Nabi’s impressive Ranji Trophy numbers

Nabi was the leading wicket-taker in the 2025-26 Ranji Trophy season, finishing just one wicket ahead of Uttarakhand’s Mayank Mishra.

The pacer picked up 60 wickets in 10 matches at an outstanding average of 12.56. His season included seven five-wicket hauls and two four-wicket spells.

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Those numbers played a major role in Jammu & Kashmir’s historic Ranji Trophy triumph and eventually helped Nabi earn his opportunity with India.

Nabi’s journey after being overlooked

Nabi had previously travelled with the Indian squad for the one-off Test against Afghanistan as a net bowler, but he did not get a chance to make his senior debut. Gurnoor Brar was selected ahead of him, although Brar is also still waiting for his first Test appearance.

Brar made his ODI debut during the Afghanistan series and was also part of the squad that travelled to England.

Nabi’s next opportunity came with India A. He was selected for the Sri Lanka tour and made his India A debut against Sri Lanka A, taking four wickets in the match. Across two games, he finished with six wickets.

He also featured in a three-day practice match against Sri Lanka Cricket XI. Nabi did not bowl during the first innings but was given five overs in the second innings. He conceded 27 runs without taking a wicket.

Will Auqib Nabi make his Test debut?

Nabi’s Test debut is still not guaranteed. Sri Lanka is known for producing spin-friendly conditions, so India could prefer a spin-heavy attack depending on the pitch and team combination.

However, if Nabi gets the opportunity and performs well, it could strengthen his chances of being considered for India’s tour of New Zealand later this year. The conditions there are expected to offer more help to fast bowlers, making his pace-bowling skills particularly valuable.