Former India captain Dilip Vengsarkar has hit out at the selection panel for overlooking Jammu and Kashmir seamer Auqib Nabi for the one-off Test against Afghanistan scheduled next month in India. Vengsarkar’s frustration stems from Nabi’s standout red-ball form, with the medium pacer finishing the 2025-26 Ranji Trophy as the leading wicket-taker, taking 60 wickets.
Quick facts
- Dilip Vengsarkar is upset that Auqib Nabi was ignored for the one-off Test vs Afghanistan next month in India.
- Nabi was the highest wicket-taker in the 2025-26 Ranji Trophy with 60 wickets.
- Vengsarkar called the omission “absurd and baffling,” describing it as “injustice.”
- In the ongoing IPL, Nabi has played four matches and taken no wickets so far, with an economy rate of 11.45.
- Sourav Ganguly and Irfan Pathan had backed Nabi, while Shishir Hatangadi also criticised the exclusion.
Vengsarkar argued that Nabi’s impact for Jammu and Kashmir in their first-ever Ranji Trophy triumph could not be overstated. He said it is difficult to justify why a bowler who has worked hard and delivered consistently in domestic cricket has been left out of an India opportunity.
“The selector’s decision to ignore him is absolutely absurd and baffling. What kind of selection is this? It is not acceptable. It is injustice,” Vengsarkar said. He also questioned how a side could ignore a player’s wicket-taking output when selecting a bowler for a Test environment.
He added that Nabi’s current situation is hard to imagine, given the numbers and the form he showed during the Ranji campaign. Vengsarkar claimed that if Ranji performances are not treated as a benchmark, then the BCCI should reconsider the role of domestic cricket in the pathway to international selection.
“You pick a bowler for his ability to get wickets. He may bowl at 130 kmph, but the important thing is his wicket-taking ability. This kid has shown tremendous consistency in getting wickets,” Vengsarkar said. He further argued that the timing should have been right to nurture a bowler when he is in form, rather than waiting for confidence, fitness, or hunger to drop.
Was IPL form the trigger?
One theory behind the omission is Nabi’s recent output in the ongoing Indian Premier League. Through four matches, he has failed to take a wicket and has conceded runs at a high economy rate of 11.45. Supporters point out that he has not been able to translate his red-ball wicket haul into impact in the T20 setting so far.
There was, however, one exception where conditions were more favourable for bowlers. In a match at Dharamsala, Nabi managed to impress to some degree, offering a glimpse of what he can do when the pitch and conditions assist.
Despite any struggles in the IPL, Nabi’s reputation heading into the Test conversation was boosted by his Ranji Trophy run. After the Ranji final earlier this year, many believed he was close to an India debut, with talk around his readiness growing quickly.
Sourav Ganguly had publicly advocated for Nabi, backing his cause as his domestic performances drew attention. Irfan Pathan, a former India all-rounder, also supported the Jammu and Kashmir pacer and appeared to believe a dream debut was within reach.
Yet, in a matter of months, those expectations have flipped. Vengsarkar’s reaction reflects the sense of disappointment among those who felt Nabi should have been rewarded for the wicket-taking consistency he displayed in the Ranji Trophy.
Shishir Hatangadi, a former Mumbai Ranji player, echoed the criticism as well. “Nabi’s exclusion is baffling. If Ranji trophy is the yardstick, then honour it by recognising performances, you cannot ignore someone who has been so consistent in red-ball cricket,” he said.
