'I Spoke to Him': J&K Bowling Coach reveals talks with Auqib Nabi after 'Disappointing' India Snub | Exclusive

Despite having a stellar domestic season and firing Jammu & Kashmir to a historic Ranji triumph, Auqib Nabi has missed out on an India call-up for the upcoming Test series against Afghanistan.

The BCCI named India's 15-member Test squad for the upcoming series, and one name that has drawn attention is the exclusion of Jammu & Kashmir all-rounder Auqib Nabi.

Despite his consistent performances and ability to swing the ball both ways, Nabi did not make the final cut. Selectors have gone with a pace attack built around Jasprit Bumrah, Prasidh Krishna and Gurnoor Brar, which has further heightened questions over the selection process.

Nabi was the star player for J&K in last season's Ranji Trophy. The pacer picked up 60 wickets in the first-class tournament and played the most pivotal part in his team's historic triumph. The Baramulla-born bowler's resilience and fairy tale story took him to a new level, and an India call-up looked inevitable.

But Ajit Agarkar and his selection committee have decided to leave out Auqib, which has already gained widespread attention from ex-India players and pundits.

MyKhel had an exclusive chat with J&K bowling coach Krishna Kumar, who has played a crucial part in Auqib's journey. The coach has urged his disciple to move forward, but admits the decision came as a disappointment.

"As a coach, I can't comment on selection decisions. What I can say is that he did a fantastic job with the ball-there is no doubt about that. I don't know the exact reasons he wasn't given a chance; selection involves many factors, such as team balance that are outside my remit. Naturally, it's disheartening for any player when an exceptional performance doesn't lead to selection. I spoke with him and told him to accept it, move on, and keep working-this is part of a sportsman's career."

Auqib also had a sporadic outing for Delhi Capitals in the IPL 2026 season. After being picked for Rs 8.2 crore in the auction, the 29-year-old only played 5 matches for DC, without picking a single wicket in them. He had an eventful outing with the bat and scored an important winning six, which capped off his role for the season. Commenting on Auqib's lack of game time, Krishna Kumar reckons it was more of a decision from the team management to balance their squad.

"Those decisions (selection) are made in meetings with the coaching staff and captain, who assess the situation and decide the best combination. They gave him a chance and he performed well, but for the next match they may have preferred a different balance. The head coach, Hemang Badani, is very experienced and understands the players and how to manage the team, so I'm sure there was a reason-probably a tactical decision about the combination."

After an underwhelming IPL, Auqib's attempt now lies in grinding in the domestic season. The gritty pacer has a mentality of steel and it is to be seen if he finds newer heights next season, which will further bolster the knockings in the door for India selection.