Auqib Nabi Dar’s Struggle Story: The doors to the Indian cricket team have opened for Jammu and Kashmir fast bowler Aaqib Nabi Dar for the first time. After Jasprit Bumrah was ruled out of the Test series against Sri Lanka due to injury, the selection committee included Aaqib in the squad in his place. This means that the player who consistently impressed with his bowling in domestic cricket will now have the opportunity to prove himself on the biggest stage of international cricket.
Aaqib’s story is not just a story of a cricketer reaching Team India, but also a story of a small town dreaming big and achieving them despite difficulties. From Sheeri village in Baramulla to Srinagar, traveling 50-60 kilometers away for training, playing by borrowing shoes from friends in the early days, and then playing a key role in making Jammu and Kashmir the Ranji Trophy champions for the first time, Aaqib’s journey has been quite special.
Who is Aaqib Nabi Dar?
Aaqib Nabi Dar is a fast bowler from Jammu and Kashmir. He is also known as the “Baramulla Express” due to his ability to swing the ball both ways in the air.
Aaqib was born on November 4, 1996, in Sheeri village, Baramulla, North Kashmir. By making it to the Indian team, he has also written a new chapter for Jammu and Kashmir cricket. Before him, Parvez Rasool and Umran Malik have been part of the Indian national team, but Aaqib is the first player from Jammu and Kashmir to make it to the Indian Test squad.
Jasprit Bumrah has been ruled out of the Test series against Sri Lanka due to his inability to fully recover from a left knee injury. Following this, the Indian men’s selection committee included Aaqib Nabi in his place.
Aaqib’s domestic cricket performance has played a major role in his promotion to Team India. He has taken a total of 104 wickets in the last two Ranji Trophy seasons. This includes 60 wickets in the 2025-26 season, which he took in 17 innings of just 10 matches at an average of 12.65. This made him the highest wicket-taker of the tournament.
Aaqib’s bowling was crucial in Jammu and Kashmir’s historic Ranji Trophy victory. This is why he was also named Player of the Tournament.
Jammu and Kashmir won the Ranji Trophy title for the first time, and Aaqib’s bowling was one of the biggest strengths in that historic campaign.
Aaqib’s recognition is not limited to his Ranji Trophy performances. He is also the first bowler in Duleep Trophy history to take four wickets in four consecutive balls. This means that his performance in domestic cricket has not been consistent; instead, he has demonstrated his bowling prowess in different tournaments.
The impact of his consistent performance in domestic cricket was also visible in the IPL. In the IPL 2026 auction, Delhi Capitals bought Aaqib Nabi for a whopping sum of ₹8.40 crore. This was a major turning point in his career. However, now being called up to Team India is an even bigger opportunity for him.
Calling Aaqib solely a bowler doesn’t reflect his full potential. He can also bat lower down the order. Batting at number 8 against Hyderabad in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, he scored an unbeaten 114 off 82 balls.
In first-class cricket, Aaqib has 162 wickets in 43 matches at an average of 18.37. During this period, he has taken five wickets in an innings 16 times.
The most emotional part of Aaqib’s story is his struggle. Cricket facilities were inadequate in his small village of Baramulla. As a result, he would travel 50 to 60 kilometers to Srinagar for training. His father, Ghulam Nabi Dar, is a government school teacher and wanted his son to become a doctor, but Aaqib’s dream was cricket.
In his early days, circumstances were such that he didn’t even have the money to buy cricket spikes. He used to play cricket by borrowing shoes from friends. Today, that same player is on the verge of wearing the Indian Test team jersey.
Now the biggest Test is ahead.
Aaqib took a flurry of wickets in domestic cricket, played a key role in Jammu and Kashmir’s first Ranji Trophy win, received a bid worth crores in the IPL, and now he has secured a place in the Indian Test team for the first time… But joining Team India is not the end of the journey, but a new beginning. If he gets a chance in the playing eleven in the Test series against Sri Lanka, Aaqib will have the opportunity to prove that his pace, which originated in Baramulla, is just as effective in international cricket.
The first match of the Test series between India and Sri Lanka is scheduled to be played in Galle from August 15 to 19, while the second Test will be held in Colombo from August 23 to 27. This series is part of the current World Test Championship (WTC) cycle.