SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir fast bowler Auqib Nabi is set to receive his maiden senior India call-up after being approved as Jasprit Bumrah’s replacement for the upcoming two-Test series against Sri Lanka, becoming only the third cricketer from the Union Territory to earn a place in the national men’s team.
The right-arm pacer is expected to be included in India’s Test squad after Bumrah was ruled out of the series because of a persistent knee injury that has not healed despite rehabilitation at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru.
The two-Test series against Sri Lanka is scheduled to begin on August 15.
Nabi’s selection follows two outstanding Ranji Trophy seasons during which he claimed more than 100 wickets, establishing himself as one of the country’s leading performers in domestic red-ball cricket. He also played a key role in Jammu and Kashmir’s recent Ranji Trophy campaign, leading the pace attack with consistent wicket-taking performances and making useful lower-order contributions with the bat.
His sustained domestic success had brought him into contention for national honours, with Bumrah’s absence creating the opportunity for his first senior international assignment.
The call-up marks a significant milestone for cricket in Jammu and Kashmir. Nabi is set to become only the third player from the Union Territory to receive a senior India call-up after all-rounder Parvez Rasool and fast bowler Umran Malik. Unlike Rasool and Malik, who were selected for India’s white-ball squads, Nabi is poised to make his entry through the national Test setup.
India suffered a setback ahead of the Sri Lanka tour after Bumrah failed to recover from the knee injury he sustained during the ODI series against England. Although the 32-year-old had been expected to return in time for at least one of the two Tests, the BCCI’s Sports Science team at the Centre of Excellence decided against risking the premier fast bowler.
According to the BCCI, Bumrah continues to experience discomfort, and medical experts have assessed that the workload associated with Test cricket would not be suitable for his return, even if he regains match fitness before the start of the series.
India’s updated squad for the Test series against Sri Lanka: Shubman Gill (Captain), KL Rahul (Vice-Captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant (WK), Sai Sudharsan*, Dhruv Jurel (WK), Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Manav Suthar, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Gurnoor Brar, Devdutt Padikkal, Saransh Jain, Auqib Nabi.
