Auqib Nabi, the Jammu and Kashmir seam-bowling all-rounder, has earned his maiden call-up to India's senior Test squad for the two-match series against Sri Lanka, beginning at the Galle International Stadium on 15 August. The 29-year-old was named as a replacement for injured pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, capping a remarkable domestic journey built on 104 wickets across two Ranji Trophy seasons.

The Ranji Road to the Test Squad

Nabi's ascent has been one of the more compelling domestic stories in Indian cricket in recent years. In the 2024-25 Ranji Trophy season, he claimed 60 wickets — finishing as the competition's highest wicket-taker — and played a central role in Jammu and Kashmir's historic maiden Ranji Trophy title. Despite those numbers, an India call-up did not arrive immediately, a wait Nabi has spoken about with characteristic composure.

'Yes, I had expectations. But at the same time, a cricket player's mindset should be there. Your job is to perform, and the rest will see. If not today, I will join the India team tomorrow,' Nabi said in a video released by the BCCI.

He added: 'You have been doing well for so many years. You have to reap the fruits of your hard work. I had the same mindset when I bowled. My job is to take wickets and perform. The rest is up to God.'

The Call That Caught Him Mid-Journey

The moment of selection arrived at an unexpected juncture. Nabi was at the airport, preparing to board a flight to Bengaluru for a training camp, when his phone rang with news that changed his plans entirely.

'I was at the airport; we had to go to a camp. The flight was going to board in Bangalore, so I got a call asking where I was. I said, 'Sir, I am going to Bangalore, I am at the airport.' He said, 'No, you don't have to go there, you have to come to Sri Lanka, and you have been selected.' At first, I couldn't believe it; it was unexpected,' he recalled.

A Career Built Brick by Brick

Nabi's path to the Test squad has been methodical. His domestic exploits earned him a maiden IPL contract with Delhi Capitals in IPL 2026, where he featured in five matches. He also represented India A on their tour of Sri Lanka, claiming six wickets in two four-day matches as the side won the series 1-0. He had previously served as a back-up net bowler during India's one-off Test against Afghanistan, but this marks his first formal inclusion in the senior Test squad.

Notably, Jammu and Kashmir's Ranji Trophy triumph — driven in large part by Nabi's bowling — was the state's first-ever title in the competition, making his personal milestone inseparable from a historic collective achievement.

Stepping Into the Indian Dressing Room

Nabi described the experience of joining the senior setup as surreal, sharing space with players he had grown up watching. 'It was great. Sharing the dressing room with the people we see on TV and sharing the nets is a big deal for me,' he said.

India's two-match Test series against Sri Lanka gets underway at Galle on 15 August, and all eyes will be on whether Nabi gets an opportunity to translate his prolific domestic form onto the international stage.