Auqib Nabi deserved Test squad spot vs Afghanistan, says Suresh Raina
Synopsis
Suresh Raina has publicly backed Auqib Nabi for a Test debut, calling his omission from India's Afghanistan squad a missed opportunity — even as the selectors placed their bet on the towering Gurnoor Brar, whose raw pace and Kanpur heroics against Australia A made a compelling counter-case.
Key Takeaways
Suresh Raina said Auqib Nabi deserved a place in India's Test squad for the one-off match against Afghanistan .
Nabi took 60 wickets in the Ranji Trophy this season, leading Jammu and Kashmir to their maiden title, and has 104 wickets across the last two seasons.
Selectors chose Gurnoor Brar as the back-up pacer alongside Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna .
Brar claimed 12 wickets in three India A matches last year, including six against Australia A in Kanpur .
Left-arm spinners Manav Suthar and Harsh Dubey received maiden Test call-ups; Dubey was also named in the ODI squad.
Raina credited selectors Pragyan Ojha and RP Singh for tracking domestic performers through the red-ball season.
Former India batter Suresh Raina has backed Jammu and Kashmir pacer Auqib Nabi for a maiden Test call-up, saying the right-arm seamer deserved a place in India's squad for the one-off Test against Afghanistan. Raina, speaking on JioHotstar, also acknowledged that captain Shubman Gill's inputs likely influenced the selectors' final choice of bowling attack.
Why Nabi Was Expected to Feature
With Jasprit Bumrah rested and pacers Harshit Rana and Akash Deep ruled out due to injuries, Nabi had emerged as a frontrunner for a debut call-up. The Jammu and Kashmir pacer was among the standout performers of the recent Ranji Trophy season, picking up 60 wickets to lead his state to their maiden Ranji Trophy title. Across the last two Ranji Trophy seasons, Nabi has accumulated 104 wickets, a tally that drew widespread attention from cricket observers.
Selectors Back Gurnoor Brar Instead
The selection committee opted for Punjab pacer Gurnoor Brar as the back-up fast bowling option alongside Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna. Brar, who stands at 6 feet 5 inches, has taken 52 wickets in 18 first-class matches — a modest return on paper, but his raw pace and ability to generate steep bounce on placid surfaces reportedly made him attractive to the think tank. Notably, Brar broke into the India A squads last year and claimed 12 wickets in three matches, including six wickets in Kanpur against Australia A, where he outshone both Siraj and Prasidh.
Raina's Take on the Selection
'Auqib Nabi should have gotten a chance. He played a key role in Jammu and Kashmir winning the Ranji Trophy for the first time. But I feel Prasidh and Siraj are bowling well with good line and length,' Raina said. He added: 'They have pace, and Gurnoor, who is 6 feet 5 inches, comes from Punjab and has taken 52 wickets in 18 first-class matches. I am sure Shubman Gill would have given his inputs about the kind of bowlers he wanted.'
Maiden Call-Ups for Suthar and Dubey
The squad also features first-time Test call-ups for left-arm spinners Manav Suthar and Harsh Dubey, with Dubey also named in the ODI squad. Raina praised the selection committee — featuring former India cricketers Pragyan Ojha and RP Singh — for their attentiveness to domestic red-ball cricket. 'So I feel Pragyan Ojha and RP Singh are doing a good job in the selection committee. They have been watching matches all around the country and would have kept an eye on the top performers during the red-ball season,' he said.
What This Means for Nabi
Nabi's omission, despite his prolific Ranji Trophy record, underlines the fierce competition for India's pace slots even in the absence of first-choice bowlers. With the Afghanistan Test serving as a development opportunity for the squad's fringe players, Nabi's wait for a maiden Test cap continues. How the selectors weigh domestic consistency against format-specific attributes in future squads will be closely watched.
Point of View
Yet Brar's height, raw pace, and one standout India A performance tipped the scales. The deeper question is whether India's selection criteria are transparent enough — Gill's reported inputs on bowling preferences suggest a captain-driven process that may not always align with merit-based domestic reward. If Nabi is passed over again despite sustained Ranji output, it risks sending a discouraging signal to red-ball performers in Tier-2 state setups.
NationPress
6 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Suresh Raina back Auqib Nabi for the Afghanistan Test?
Raina argued that Nabi's exceptional Ranji Trophy form — 60 wickets in the latest season and 104 across two seasons, culminating in Jammu and Kashmir's maiden title — warranted a maiden Test call-up, especially with Bumrah rested and Rana and Akash Deep injured.
Who was picked instead of Auqib Nabi in India's Test squad?
The selectors chose Punjab pacer Gurnoor Brar as the back-up fast bowling option alongside Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna. Brar's 6-foot-5 frame, raw pace, and 12 wickets in three India A matches — including six against Australia A in Kanpur — were seen as key differentiators.
What is Auqib Nabi's domestic record?
Nabi has taken 104 wickets across the last two Ranji Trophy seasons for Jammu and Kashmir. In the most recent season, he claimed 60 wickets and played a central role in leading his state to their first-ever Ranji Trophy title.
Who are the other new faces in India's Test squad for the Afghanistan match?
Left-arm spinners Manav Suthar and Harsh Dubey received maiden Test call-ups. Dubey was also included in the ODI squad for the series.
What did Raina say about the overall selection process?
Raina credited selectors Pragyan Ojha and RP Singh for doing a good job, noting they had been watching matches across the country and tracking top performers during the red-ball season. He also suggested captain Shubman Gill's inputs shaped the final composition of the bowling attack.
