India’s newest Test call-up, Auqib Nabi, has an inspiring journey behind his rise to the national team. His first club captain, Zubair Dar, recently shared an amusing story from the Jammu and Kashmir pacer’s early cricketing days, describing him as an innocent youngster who once attended training camps conducted by two rival cricket associations on the very same day.
Auqib was named as Jasprit Bumrah’s replacement in India’s squad for the upcoming two-match Test series against Sri Lanka after the premier fast bowler was ruled out with a knee injury. The selection
marks the 29-year-old’s maiden call-up to the senior national side, making him the first cricketer from the Kashmir Valley to be picked in India’s Test team.
Recalling Auqib’s early years, Zubair Dar told PTI that the young pacer unknowingly landed himself in an awkward situation while trying to improve his chances of playing top-level cricket.
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“He first bowled at Shere-e-Kashmir in one of the factions’ camps. Then he went to the University ground and bowled at the other faction’s camp,” Zubair Dar recalled. “When I came to know, I was terrified and asked him how he could do it. He said an official from one of the factions had told him he could play Ranji Trophy. But that was Auqib and his innocence.”
All the best, Auqib Nabi. Keep living the dream. pic.twitter.com/dTmD4oYWif
— Khalid Baig (@KhalidBaig85) August 4, 2026
Zubair also reflected on another crucial turning point in Auqib’s career. As a teenager, the talented fast bowler earned a place in a BCCI pace-bowling camp conducted by Australian legend Glenn McGrath while simultaneously preparing for his Class 12 board examinations.
Initially, Auqib’s father, Ghulam Nabi Dar, a schoolteacher, wanted his son to prioritise academics and prepare for medical entrance examinations instead of attending the cricket camp.
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However, he eventually changed his mind—a decision that proved life-changing. Nearly 13 years later, Auqib has fulfilled his dream of representing India in Test cricket after consistently excelling in domestic cricket.
