SRINAGAR: Jammu & Kashmir fast bowler Auqib Nabi has been left out of the India A squad for the upcoming Australia A series, but his omission is not related to form, fitness or a setback in his India prospects.
The reason, Kashmir Sports Watch has learnt, is his commitment to Jammu & Kashmir for the historic Irani Cup fixture against Rest of India in Srinagar.
Nabi, who is currently in England with Surrey, is expected to return to India before the start of the Australia A series. However, instead of joining the India A set-up, the fast bowler will take a short break before linking up with the J&K squad for the Irani Cup, scheduled to be played from October 1 to 5 at the Sher-e-Kashmir Stadium in Srinagar.
A source familiar with the decision told Kashmir Sports Watch that the significance of the Irani Cup for J&K was a major factor in Nabi’s availability being prioritised for the state side.
“Auqib is set to play the Irani Cup for J&K. This match has a lot of significance for Jammu & Kashmir, and given how instrumental he was in helping J&K win the Ranji Trophy, it was felt that it would be better for him to play the Irani Cup rather than the India A series,” the source said.
The decision also comes at a particularly significant moment for J&K cricket.
Jammu & Kashmir, the 2025-26 Ranji Trophy champions, will face the Rest of India in the Irani Cup — one of the most prestigious fixtures in India’s domestic calendar.
The match will also mark the return of a major domestic cricket fixture to Srinagar after decades and is being viewed as a landmark occasion for cricket in the Union Territory. The Irani Cup is scheduled for October 1-5, 2026, at the Sher-e-Kashmir Stadium.
Australia A series creates a scheduling clash
The timing of the Australia A series made Nabi’s selection particularly difficult.
India A will play Australia A in two four-day matches in Puducherry, with the first scheduled from September 22 to 25 and the second from September 29 to October 2.
The second match therefore overlaps with the Irani Cup, which begins in Srinagar on October 1.
Nabi could potentially have been available for the opening Australia A fixture after returning from England, but playing the four-day game from September 22-25 would leave very little recovery time before the Irani Cup.
Instead, the decision has been taken to allow the fast bowler to rest after his stint in England before reporting to the J&K camp.
Nabi’s importance to J&K
The decision is also understandable given Nabi’s role in J&K’s historic Ranji Trophy triumph last season.
The Baramulla-born fast bowler was one of the architects of J&K’s title-winning campaign, finishing the 2025-26 Ranji Trophy season with 60 wickets.
He was particularly influential in the final against Karnataka, where his five-wicket haul helped J&K gain the upper hand before they secured the championship through a first-innings lead.
His performances throughout the season subsequently pushed him into India’s Test selection picture.
Nabi was later included in India’s Test squad for the Sri Lanka tour, replacing Jasprit Bumrah, becoming the first cricketer from Jammu & Kashmir to be named in India’s Test squad.
From Surrey to Srinagar
Nabi’s current stint with Surrey has added another chapter to his rapid rise.
The J&K pacer recently made his Surrey debut in the County Championship and played a role in a dramatic one-wicket victory over Yorkshire at The Oval, hitting a six when Surrey needed eight runs with two wickets remaining before being dismissed off the next delivery.
His time in England means Nabi will have played high-level red-ball cricket shortly before returning to India.
For J&K, however, his next assignment is likely to be one of the most important domestic matches in the team’s history.
The Irani Cup will pit the Ranji Trophy champions against a Rest of India side packed with leading domestic performers, with the five-day contest offering J&K the opportunity to showcase its cricketing rise on a national stage.
And for Nabi, it will be another significant chapter in a remarkable year — one that has taken him from village cricket in Baramulla to County Championship cricket in England, India’s Test squad and now a historic Irani Cup appearance in Srinagar.
