New Delhi, August 3, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Jammu & Kashmir seam-bowling all-rounder Auqib Nabi has received his maiden call-up to the Indian Test squad after being named as the replacement for injured pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah for the upcoming two-match Test series against Sri Lanka.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced that Bumrah has been ruled out after failing to recover fully from the left knee injury he sustained during the ODI series against England. Although Bumrah was initially included in the squad subject to fitness clearance, the selectors opted to bring in Nabi following medical assessment.
The 29-year-old right-arm pacer has earned national recognition after an exceptional run in domestic cricket. Nabi claimed 60 wickets in the previous Ranji Trophy season, playing a key role in guiding Jammu & Kashmir to their maiden Ranji Trophy title. Across the last two Ranji Trophy campaigns, he has taken an impressive 104 wickets, establishing himself as one of the country’s most consistent fast bowlers.
His performances also earned him a contract with Delhi Capitals in IPL 2026, where he featured in five matches. More recently, Nabi represented India A during the tour of Sri Lanka, taking six wickets in two four-day matches as the visitors secured a 1-0 series victory.
Although he had earlier served as a reserve net bowler during India’s one-off Test against Afghanistan, this is his first inclusion in the senior Test squad. The selection also marks a historic milestone, making Nabi the first cricketer from Jammu & Kashmir to receive a call-up to India’s men’s Test team. Previously, Parvez Rasool and Umran Malik represented India in white-ball formats.
Nabi had been training at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru ahead of the Duleep Trophy and will now join the Indian squad in Mumbai before its departure for Colombo.
India will play a three-day practice match in Colombo from August 7 to 9 before beginning the first Test in Galle on August 15. The second and final Test will be played at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo from August 23 to 27.
India’s updated Test squad: Shubman Gill (Captain), KL Rahul (Vice-Captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant (WK), Sai Sudharsan (subject to fitness clearance), Dhruv Jurel (WK), Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Manav Suthar, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Gurnoor Brar, Devdutt Padikkal, Saransh Jain and Auqib Nabi.
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