Srinagar: The Irani Cup 2026 got underway at the Sher-i-Kashmir Cricket Stadium in Sonwar, Srinagar, with Ranji Trophy champions Jammu & Kashmir opting to bowl first against the Rest of India.
Playing under overcast conditions, J&K made an encouraging start as their bowlers struck early, removing two Rest of India batters. Nasir Lone and Sunil Kumar claimed an early wicket each as the hosts looked to make the most of the conditions.
However, one question has dominated discussions among cricket followers in Jammu & Kashmir: will the absence of key pacers Auqib Nabi and Umran Malik affect J&K’s chances in the Irani Cup?
Auqib Nabi is unavailable because of national duty. The J&K pacer made his India ODI debut against the West Indies on Wednesday, becoming only the third cricketer from Jammu & Kashmir to represent India.
Nabi played a crucial role in J&K’s historic maiden Ranji Trophy triumph during the 2025-26 season and was among the standout performers of the campaign. His ability to extract movement and generate pressure with the new ball had been one of J&K’s major strengths during their title-winning run.
His absence was therefore always expected to leave a significant gap in the J&K pace attack.
The bigger talking point, however, has been the omission of Umran Malik.
The express pacer, who has previously represented India and is widely recognised as one of the fastest bowlers produced by the country, was initially part of J&K’s plans but did not find a place in the final playing XI. He has also been left out of the 15-member squad for the Irani Cup match.
With Nabi unavailable, many expected J&K to bolster their pace attack by including Malik, particularly given the conditions in Srinagar. Overcast weather and a traditionally pace-friendly surface can provide an advantage to fast bowlers, making raw pace and aggression potentially useful weapons against a strong Rest of India batting line-up.
Malik’s ability to generate extreme pace could have offered J&K a different dimension, particularly against batters accustomed to facing conventional pace.
However, the J&K team management has opted for a different combination.
That decision will now be judged by the outcome on the field.
There is no doubt that replacing a bowler of Nabi’s current form is a difficult task. At the same time, J&K’s bowling attack still has the opportunity to make an impact and prove that the team’s strength does not depend solely on two high-profile pacers.
For J&K, the challenge is particularly significant against a Rest of India side featuring several established domestic and international-level players.
Whether the decision to leave Umran Malik out ultimately works in J&K’s favour remains to be seen. If the hosts manage to control the Rest of India’s batting line-up and secure a positive result, the selection call will appear justified.
But if J&K struggle to make breakthroughs in conditions that offer assistance to fast bowlers, questions about the absence of Malik—and the decision not to include him in the final squad—are likely to grow.
For now, J&K will hope their current bowling combination can deliver and help them overcome the absence of two of their most recognisable pace options.
The Irani Cup could provide the answer.
