It took Jammu and Kashmir 69 years to reach their maiden Ranji Trophy final, and now just five days stand between them and immortality as they face Karnataka in the title clash. J&K’s journey to the final has been marked by persistent hurdles. After first grabbing attention with a stunning win over Mumbai on their home turf, it took another 12 years for them to reach their long-awaited destination. Today, as J&K stand on the cusp of history, several contributors have shaped this remarkable campaign, including captain Paras Dogra and Abdul Samad, both of whom have burned up the batting charts. Still, one name that has become quite the rage is fast bowler Auqib Nabi. With 55 wickets from nine matches, the 29-year-old is the second-highest wicket-taker of the season and played a decisive role in J&K’s semi-final triumph, producing a match-turning nine-for.
For a fast bowler to pick 50 wickets in a single season of the Ranji Trophy is no mean feat. It is the batter’s equivalent of scoring over 1,000 runs. For a young kid growing up in Baramulla, for the longest time, cricket wasn’t a career option for Nabi. He had no ground or shoes to practice in. And still, developed a knack for the outswinger, which became his go-to weapon. A long-time admirer of Dale Steyn, when Nabi made his Ranji debut in 2019, he got up and running with a five-for. Six seasons later, he has mastered the reverse swing as well.
Last year, too, Nabi was no supporting act. He had 44 wickets to show for his effort. No other seamer came close to this rich haul last season, with the next best managing 35, while the overall tally was bettered only by spinner Harsh Dubey of Vidarbha, who took 69 wickets. Such remarkable consistency is the result of many factors, starting with fitness. Nabi is one of the few fast bowlers to have remained injury-free in his career, a rare trait among pacers.
“Only a cricketer truly understands how difficult it is for a fast bowler to stay injury-free, perform consistently for the team, take five-wicket hauls, and win matches. I always tell my players that individual performances often go unnoticed if the team loses. But when the team wins, performances automatically gain recognition. Nabi’s performance this season and last has been incredible. At times, it felt like it was Auqib Nabi against the rest. Cricket is a team game, but the way he has performed leaves me speechless. We are extremely happy and truly proud of him,” Parvez Rasool, the former J&K captain and India allrounder, told The Hindustan Times Digital.
“He has performed exceptionally well and, more importantly, with remarkable consistency at every level. Not just against weaker opposition – he delivered in the biggest domestic tournaments. In the Deodhar Trophy, he picked up a five-wicket haul, and in the Duleep Trophy, he even claimed a hat-trick. In the Ranji Trophy knockouts, he earned Player-of-the-Match awards in both the quarter-final and the semi-final.”
Nabi has been consistently performing for a long time. Earlier, the path to a national call-up was simple: perform in domestic cricket, do well in zonal tournaments and the Duleep Trophy, and then earn an India cap. That process still matters. While the spotlight today often shifts quickly due to franchise performances in the IPL, sustained domestic consistency remains the strongest foundation. And he has delivered exactly that.
Nabi goes toe-to-toe with Shami
Against Rajasthan, Nabi picked up a career-best of 7/24, but it was his outing against Bengal, where his performance was head and shoulders above the rest. The semi-final was packed with quality pace bowling, and Nabi led the charge for J&K, while Mohammed Shami, Mukesh Kumar and Akash Deep lit up the contest in Kalyani. The battle between Shami and Nabi was a delight to watch, and neither seamer disappointed.
While Shami made headlines with an eight-wicket haul in the first innings, Nabi was not far behind, finishing with nine wickets in the match, including a five-wicket haul in the first innings. Shami’s effort helped Bengal secure the first-innings lead, but Nabi ensured the game did not slip away. His four-wicket haul in the second innings helped J&K bundle Bengal out for just 99. That effort left J&K chasing a modest target of 126, which they achieved without much fuss.
Rasool firmly believes the time has come for the BCCI to consider Nabi for a national reckoning.
“He has left nothing unachieved in terms of effort or performance. He fully deserves an India call-up. He is in excellent rhythm, things are falling into place, and this feels like the right time for him. I first noticed Auqib Nabi during the Under-23 circuit after he had already impressed in age-group cricket. We picked him for the Ranji Trophy in his debut season, and even early on, his all-round ability stood out. If not now, then when?
“He contributed with both bat and ball. In the Under-23s, he scored a match-winning century, which showed his value as a utility player. His seam and wrist positions, and bowling action were impressive, and as a captain, you always appreciate a player who contributes in multiple departments. He is also a very capable lower-order batter, which is a huge asset. Not many bowlers can bat well, but Auqib can. He is not just a hitter – he can build an innings and even score centuries when required.”
Hindustan Times Digital also spoke to Irfan Pathan, the former India all-rounder who served as a mentor for the J&K team during the 2018–19 season. The 41-year-old was full of praise for Nabi, saying he possesses all the qualities needed to trouble batters, and explained the key reason.
“Look, Auqib Nabi is truly special. Especially his late movement against both right and left-handed batters. He gets zip off the pitch. That straight seam gives him the late movement as well. This is why he can get the batters out when they are defending. That’s very special, taking 55 wickets and one match to go,” Pathan said.
Pathan, renowned for his ability to swing the ball both ways, said Nabi is firmly knocking on the doors of the Indian Test side and that the call-up may not be far away. “There’s no doubt about that. People talk about his speed, but remember, if he’s getting wickets in the big games, especially when the batters are defending, that’s what you want to see. Hope he gets his due, if not now, then in the coming future.”
