Auqib Nabi has become the first cricketer from Jammu and Kashmir to earn an India Test call-up, completing a remarkable journey from playing on modest village grounds in Baramulla to joining the national squad for the two-Test series against Sri Lanka.
The 29-year-old all-rounder was drafted into India’s squad after replacing Jasprit Bumrah for the series, which begins on August 15. His selection marks a historic moment for cricket in Jammu and Kashmir, a region where harsh winters, limited infrastructure and years of conflict have often restricted sporting opportunities.
For Auqib, however, the call-up is the result of a decade of persistence, sacrifice and performances that eventually became impossible to ignore.
A Childhood Dream Takes Shape
Auqib grew up in a small village in Baramulla district, where cricket was largely played for recreation rather than as a realistic professional career.
His father, Ghulam Nabi Dar, a schoolteacher, initially wanted his son to focus on academics and become a doctor.
“There was no scope in cricket. We used to think playing sport was a waste of time, so I insisted that Auqib focused on his studies,” Ghulam recalled.
But Auqib’s determination eventually changed his father’s mind.
“After seeing his passion for cricket, I accepted it. I realised that, as a parent and a teacher, I shouldn’t force him to do something he didn’t want to do. I started supporting him.”
His childhood friend Junaid Dar remembers just how difficult it was to imagine a professional cricket career from their surroundings.
“Auqib was obsessed with cricket from childhood. I used to ask him, ‘Why are you doing all this? There’s no future in it.’ We came from a place where there was no concept of playing sport professionally and hardly any infrastructure.”
Travelling 70km To Chase His Dream
With limited facilities available locally, Auqib regularly travelled around 70km to Srinagar to train on proper cricket pitches.
His early struggles were not limited to infrastructure. When he attended his first cricket trials, he did not even own a pair of spike shoes.
Yet his commitment remained unchanged.
His cousin Bilal Ahmad Dar remembers Auqib’s relentless routine.
“Auqib is very hardworking and consistent. He knows how to fight obstacles and make a way for himself.
“He would wake up early to go to the gym and then practise for the rest of the day. He did that almost every day for 10 years.”
That dedication eventually earned him a place in Jammu and Kashmir’s senior setup.
Ranji Trophy Breakthrough
Auqib made his Ranji Trophy debut for Jammu and Kashmir in 2020 and immediately showed his potential, claiming a five-wicket haul against Jharkhand.
Former India all-rounder Parvez Rasool, Jammu and Kashmir’s first international cricketer and one of Auqib’s long-time captains, had followed his progress closely.
“I have followed Auqib’s progress for a long time, and what stands out about him is his work ethic and discipline,” Rasool said.
But recognition did not come immediately.
During the 2024-25 Ranji Trophy season, Auqib took 44 wickets and finished as the competition’s leading fast bowler. Despite those numbers, he remained largely outside the national spotlight.
“When you do well but don’t get recognition, it hurts,” his father said.
“But we should never lose hope. Hope is what keeps the world intact. I always believed his time would come.”
Record Season Changes Everything
That breakthrough finally arrived during the following Ranji Trophy season.
Auqib produced one of the finest bowling campaigns in recent domestic cricket, claiming 60 wickets in 10 matches to finish as the tournament’s leading wicket-taker.
More importantly, he played a key role in Jammu and Kashmir winning their maiden Ranji Trophy title after a 67-year wait.
The performances transformed his career.
He subsequently earned an IPL contract worth Rs 8.4 crore with Delhi Capitals. Although his opportunities in the IPL were limited, his red-ball performances had already attracted the attention of India’s selectors.
His Test call-up was therefore the culmination of a remarkable rise rather than a sudden breakthrough.
A Historic Moment For Jammu And Kashmir
Auqib’s selection carries significance far beyond his own career.
Jammu and Kashmir became affiliated with the BCCI in 1957, but the region continues to have only two major cricket stadiums, both with limited facilities.
Long winters, heavy snowfall and decades of conflict have added further challenges for aspiring cricketers.
For Rasool, Auqib’s selection represents the fulfilment of a dream shared by generations of players from the region.
“Playing Test cricket is the ultimate dream for any cricketer. It was my dream too. Seeing Auqib earn that call-up fills me with immense pride.
“In a way, it feels like a dream many of us in Jammu and Kashmir carried has finally been realised through him. It is a historic moment not just for Auqib and his family, but for cricket across the region.”
Rasool believes Auqib’s achievement is particularly significant because of the obstacles he had to overcome.
“Making it to the Indian team is incredibly difficult for any player, but the challenge is even greater when you come from Jammu and Kashmir. For years, we have had limited infrastructure, fewer opportunities and many obstacles that players from other parts of the country don’t necessarily face.
“To reach this level, you need exceptional consistency, mental strength and the determination to keep believing in yourself. Auqib has shown all of those qualities.”
The Selfie Prediction That Came True
Long before the India call-up, Auqib had already imagined himself alongside the country’s biggest cricket stars.
His cousin Bilal once asked him why he did not take selfies with the players he met.
“You play with so many cricket stars. Why don’t you take selfies with them?” Bilal asked.
Auqib smiled and replied: “One day I will reach a place where they will want to take selfies with me.”
Years later, that prediction has become reality.
Now, the all-rounder is preparing to share an India dressing room with many of the players he once looked up to.
A Role Model For Kashmir’s Next Generation
Rasool believes Auqib’s journey could change the aspirations of young cricketers across Jammu and Kashmir.
“When I started playing, there weren’t many role models from Jammu and Kashmir. Today, things are changing.
“Auqib becoming the first player from the region to earn an India Test call-up will give countless youngsters the belief that they can dream big too. His journey proves that no matter where you come from or what challenges you face, hard work and perseverance can take you to the highest level.”
Back in Baramulla, the achievement has transformed Auqib’s family into a source of local pride.
His father now regularly finds people recognising him as the man who raised Kashmir’s first India Test call-up.
“People come up to me, hug me and say, ‘This is Auqib’s father.’
“It makes me immensely proud.”
For a boy who once travelled long distances simply to find a proper cricket pitch, the journey has now reached the threshold of Test cricket — and given an entire region a new reason to dream.
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