Auqib Nabi Selected as Backup for India vs Afghanistan

The BCCI has added right-arm pacer Auqib Nabi as a backup player for India’s Test against Afghanistan. The match is scheduled to begin on June 6 in Mullanpur.

Nabi was surprisingly left out of the initial squad despite his impressive performance in the 2025-26 Ranji Trophy season, where he took 60 wickets and was named Player of the Tournament. His omission puzzled many, especially after his heroics for Jammu & Kashmir.

The BCCI chose to rest Jasprit Bumrah and exclude Akash Deep and Harshit Rana due to injuries. selectors went with Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, and Gurnoor Brar instead of Nabi, who was expected to get a call-up.

Ajat Agarkar, the chief selector, explained that while Nabi’s performances were noted, they decided on the three selected players for this match.

Nabi, 29, has played 41 First-Class matches with 156 wickets and an average of 18.37. In List A cricket, he has taken 56 wickets at 27.37, and in T20s, he has 43 wickets at 25.27.

Despite being picked by Delhi Capitals for IPL 2026, Nabi struggled, taking no wickets in five matches. His omission from the main squad received criticism, with Sanjay Manjrekar calling it “ridiculous.”