Srinagar: For Jammu and Kashmir fast bowler Auqib Nabi, the wait for an India call-up was long, but his belief never wavered. After years of consistent performances, the pacer finally received his maiden Test call-up when he was named as Jasprit Bumrah’s replacement for India’s two-Test series against Sri Lanka.
Nabi is now set to join the Indian Test squad for the series opener in Galle, marking a significant milestone in his rapidly rising cricket career.
Nabi played a pivotal role in Jammu and Kashmir’s historic maiden Ranji Trophy title triumph last season, strengthening his case for national selection.
The pacer said he always believed that sustained performances would eventually bring him the reward he was waiting for.
“I had expectations, but the mindset of a cricket player should be about performing. The others are watching,” Nabi said during a BCCI video interaction with fellow uncapped India call-up Saransh Jain.
Nabi added that he remained confident his opportunity would arrive sooner or later.
“I knew that I would get the call-up today or tomorrow because when you are doing well for so many years, you are meant to get the returns from the hard work,” he said.
For Nabi, the approach remained simple: focus on taking wickets and leave the rest to fate.
“I would bowl with the mindset that my job is to take wickets and perform and the rest is up to the one above. I felt great when my name came up. My family is very happy and I don’t think there can be anything greater than this,” he added.
The conversation also highlighted the importance of patience in a cricketer’s journey towards Test cricket.
Saransh Jain, who was part of Madhya Pradesh’s Ranji Trophy-winning side in 2021-22, spoke about his own long wait for an India opportunity.
Jain made his Ranji Trophy debut in the 2014-15 season and said years of hard work and sacrifice were backed by the belief that his opportunity would eventually come.
“You have to have patience in Test cricket and if you want to play Test cricket for India, you have to have patience in that too,” Jain said.
He also credited his family, particularly his father, who himself played Ranji Trophy cricket, for helping him remain patient throughout the journey.
Nabi’s Unexpected Selection Moment
The fast bowler was at the airport, preparing to travel to Bengaluru for a camp at the Centre of Excellence, when he received a call informing him that his plans had changed.
“I was at the airport. We had to go to a camp in CoE and I was about to board a flight to Bangalore,” Nabi recalled.
“I got a call asking where I was. I told them that I was going to Bangalore and I was at the airport. They told me that I didn’t have to go there; I had to come to Sri Lanka and that I was selected.”
The news left Nabi stunned, particularly because India’s squad had already been announced.
“At first, I couldn’t believe it. It was unexpected because the squad was already out. I was ready to work hard. I was going to the camp,” he said.
Jain, meanwhile, said his experience of playing alongside several members of the Indian squad in domestic cricket helped him settle quickly into the national setup.
Nabi’s journey has followed a similar path, with his performances in domestic cricket eventually earning him recognition at the highest level.
His inclusion in the India Test squad represents another major landmark for Jammu and Kashmir cricket and adds to the growing national attention on the region’s emerging fast-bowling talent.
For Nabi, however, the message remains unchanged — keep working, keep performing and remain patient.
After years of waiting, the opportunity he believed would eventually arrive is finally here.
