The upcoming Test series between India and Sri Lanka is scheduled to get underway on July 15. For this crucial tour, the selection committee of the Board of Control for Cricket in India had previously announced the touring squad. Veteran Indian fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah was named in the initial squad for the Sri Lanka series, but his selection was strictly subject to him passing fitness assessments. However, Bumrah has failed to recover fully in time for the assignment and has officially been ruled out of the entire series. In his place, Auqib Nabi has received a maiden call-up to the Indian Test squad. Nabi has earned this opportunity on the back of his phenomenal performances in domestic cricket over recent seasons.
Auqib Nabi's Stellar Run in Domestic Cricket
Auqib Nabi has etched his name in the history books by becoming the very first cricketer from Jammu and Kashmir to be selected for the Indian Test cricket team. The 29-year-old fast bowler displayed sensational form during the 2025-26 Ranji Trophy tournament, where he picked up a staggering 60 wickets across just 10 matches. During that prolific campaign, he registered five-wicket hauls in a single innings on seven separate occasions. Taking a look at his numbers over the last two Ranji seasons combined, Nabi has scalped a total of 104 wickets through his hostile pace bowling, which includes 44 wickets from the 2024-25 season and 60 wickets from the 2025-26 edition. This consistent excellence has firmly established his reputation among the top-tier fast bowling talents in the country.
Impressive First-Class Statistics for Auqib Nabi
Apart from his domestic exploits in the Ranji Trophy, Nabi has also delivered impressive performances in representative fixtures. He recently bagged 6 wickets during a two-match unofficial Test series against Sri Lanka A, which included a brilliant four-wicket haul in one of the innings. Looking at his overall first-class career statistics, Nabi has featured in 43 matches so far. Across 71 innings with the red ball, he has snared 162 wickets at an outstanding bowling average of 18.63 while maintaining an exceptional economy rate of 2.90 runs per over. Furthermore, his ability to run through batting line-ups is highlighted by the fact that he has claimed five-wicket hauls 16 times and ten-wicket match hauls 4 times in first-class cricket.
Injury Concerns Plaguing the Indian Squad
Ahead of the commencement of the Test series in Sri Lanka, the Indian team management has been grappling with multiple injury concerns among key squad members. Apart from Jasprit Bumrah, several other frontline players including Harshit Rana, Washington Sundar, and Nitish Reddy have failed to make the cut for the series due to respective fitness setbacks. At present, all eyes are firmly focused on Sai Sudharsan. Much like Bumrah, Sudharsan's selection for the Sri Lanka tour was also tied to a strict fitness clause, and it remains to be seen whether he can prove his match fitness in time for the games.
