Srinagar: Seasoned J&K pacer and now Indian Domestic cricket’s current heartthrob Auqib Nabi has set his eyes on the spot in Team India Test squad after first innings heroics in Duleep Trophy for North Zone vs East Zone.
Despite the likes of Mohammad Shami, Arshdeep Singh , Harshit Rana and other pacers playing, all the limelight has so far been grabbed by J&K’s very own Auqib Nabi who this season’s Ranji Trophy season was highest wicketaker pace bowler in Country.
Auqib Nabi ended first inning with 5 for 28 that included a hattrick. East Zone, who were on 222 for 5 midway through the 53rd over, lost 5 for 8 in 22 balls to be bowled out for 230. Nabi’s spell helped North Zone take a 175-run first-innings lead and a firm grip on proceedings.
“When we went into the tea break, the coaches told us that it’s all gone a bit flat, so they asked us to show some enthusiasm, and that’s what we did”, Nabi was quoted ESPNcricinfo. “I am feeling very good. This is a rare record, four in four, but more importantly, I got my team a first-innings lead.
“When I started my spell, I was bowling well. I beat the bat a number of times, and I felt I was a bit unlucky. I try and pick up wickets; if that doesn’t work, I try and contain the batters. Today, I just tried to put the ball in one place, and it worked. There was a nice breeze blowing across the ground in the evening and I got help from that.”
Earlier in the morning session, Auqib Nabi also smashed 44 in 33 balls, including four fours and two sixes, taking North Zone to safer shores after they had slipped to 308 for 7. He added 66 runs for the eighth wicket with Kanhaiya Wadhawan, with North Zone finishing on 405.
“When you bat well, it helps build your confidence and carries it forward,” Nabi said. “It shows in your bowling and fielding. It [my innings] was crucial for the team. I work a lot on my batting. I practice a lot.”
Before the start of the 2024-25 Ranji season, Auqib had 46 wickets in 20 matches. By the end of the season, he had almost doubled his tally. He picked up 44 wickets in eight matches – the second-most in the season – striking at 30.47, which included six five-fors.
“As a bowler, as a cricketer, that was a very important match for us,” he said. “Almost half of the Indian side was playing. The motivation is different when you bowl to good players. And we also had great preparation. Our board got us to Mumbai a week before the match to acclimatise to the conditions and that helped,” he told ESPNCriicinfo.
“Jab aapka goal India ke liye khelna ho, toh ye sab matter nahi karta. [If your goal is to play for India, these things don’t matter],” he says. “It doesn’t matter if you have limited resources. You have to use them. You can’t make excuses. You have to keep improving if you want to play for your country. And that’s my goal… to wear the India whites.”
Meanwhile Arshdeep termed Auqib Nabi simply a sensational stuff.
“I had not seen Nabi bowl earlier,” Arshdeep said after the second day’s play in Bengaluru as quoted by ESPNCricinfo.
“The first time I saw him was at the [North Zone] nets, and I think in his first ten balls, he must have taken some seven wickets. That’s when I realised, this lad is special. The ball comes out of his hand really nicely. The work he has put in in domestic cricket, everyone has seen it today. I think he will take a lot of wickets in the future as well.”
Courtesy: ESPNCricinfo