Auqib Nabi is preparing for a bigger role in Indian cricket after making his international debut against West Indies on September 30, 2026. The 29-year-old fast bowler, who generally operates at around 130 kmph, earned his maiden ODI call-up after Prasidh Krishna was ruled out of the series due to a hamstring injury. Nabi has featured in three ODIs so far, picking up two wickets. His first international wicket came in the second ODI against New Zealand, when he dismissed Tim Seifert for a duck before removing Will Young for 6.

India currently lead the five-match ODI series 2-0 against New Zealand, with the third encounter ending without a result due to rain. With the two-match Test series scheduled to begin on November 19, Nabi has started preparing for the challenges of bowling in New Zealand conditions.

During a training session on November 11, the right-arm pacer bowled to senior Indian batters Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. The experienced trio shared valuable advice, highlighting the importance of adapting his bowling strategy to suit conditions in New Zealand.

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According to Nabi, the feedback primarily focused on generating seam movement rather than relying exclusively on pace. He also recognised that international batters are well-equipped to handle conventional swing bowling, making accuracy and the ability to extract movement from the surface crucial.

“Actually, this is my first time putting a ball in New Zealand. So, it is a little different here. Here, you have to depend more on the seam movement. Because the top-level batsmen play swing. So, that was their feedback (the trio),” Auqib Nabi said.

The Jammu and Kashmir pacer further explained that although express pace can provide an additional advantage, he intends to rely on his bowling skills and domestic cricket experience. Having enjoyed success in domestic competitions, Nabi believes those fundamentals can help him adapt to international conditions.

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“Obviously, if you have the pace, it’s very good. But my skill, I back that. I have done well in domestic cricket. Here, I have come on skill. If there is pace, it is a plus factor. But I back my skill. What I did well in domestic cricket will be useful here as well,” he added.