Who Is Aquib Nabi Jasprit Bumrah Replacement: Aquib Nabi is a 29-year-old talented right-arm medium-fast bowler from Sheeri village in Baramulla district of Jammu and Kashmir. His ability to swing the ball both ways at good pace has earned him his first selection in the senior national team for the Indian Test team for the tour of Sri Lanka.
Aaqib replaces injured star fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah in the squad, becoming the third cricketer from Jammu and Kashmir and the first from the Kashmir Valley region to be included in the senior Indian Test team.
Success achieved in Ranji Trophy
Nabi’s rise in domestic cricket has been a story of his tremendous dedication and impressive performances over the past few seasons. After making his debut for Jammu and Kashmir in 2018, he gradually established himself as a key player in the team’s bowling attack. His real success came in the last two Ranji Trophy seasons, where he single-handedly destroyed the opposition batsmen, taking a total of 104 wickets.
In the recent 2025-26 season, he took 60 wickets to help Jammu and Kashmir win their first and historic Ranji Trophy title. This remarkable achievement caught the attention of the national selectors and earned him a lucrative IPL contract with the Delhi Capitals. He then had a successful stint with India ‘A’, where he took six wickets against Sri Lanka ‘A’.
Aaqib’s journey to success
Born into a modest middle-class family in Baramulla, Aaqib’s journey to success was initially fraught with skepticism from his family. His father, Ghulam Nabi Dar, is a teacher at a local government school. He initially wanted Aaqib to focus on his studies and become a doctor, as it was difficult to make a living through sports in that area. However, seeing his son’s immense passion and dedication, his father became his biggest supporter.
He even took out a bank loan to pay for Aaqib’s cricket equipment and academy fees. His younger brother, Imran Nabi, is currently studying mass communication and was a great source of emotional support during Aaqib’s early struggles.
He is also strong in batting
In addition to being a primary fast bowler, Aaqib Nabi is considered a formidable bowling all-rounder who can easily hit big sixes down the order. He also proved his batting prowess, scoring a superb 114 off just 82 balls against Hyderabad in the Vijay Hazare Trophy.
Local fans call him the “Baramulla Express” because of his blistering pace. Aaqib draws inspiration for his bowling style and aggression from South African legend Dale Steyn and India’s ace bowler Mohammed Shami. His selection has sparked widespread joy throughout the sports community in the Kashmir Valley, where young players now look to him as a role model.