Nabi has featured in 36 List A matches so far, claiming 56 wickets.
India’s home ODI series against the West Indies is slated to get underway on September 27 at the Greenfield International Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram.
With all three ODIs overlapping with the Asian Games 2026 in Japan, some of India’s key white-ball players were unavailable for selection. As a result, the selectors were forced to consider alternatives.
Punjab all-rounder Naman Dhir and Jammu & Kashmir seamer Auqib Nabi have earned their maiden ODI call-ups.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, former cricketer-turned-commentator Aakash Chopra has questioned Nabi’s section, doubting his ability in the 50-over format.
Nabi has featured in 36 List A matches so far, claiming 56 wickets. In his last white-ball assignment for Delhi Capitals in the IPL 2026, he failed to take a wicket in any of his five appearances.
"I am really happy for Auqib Nabi, but at the same time, deep down, I am also a bit concerned because he is still not going to get an opportunity. You have selected him, but will you give him a chance? I am not sure. It just feels like: Is Auqib Nabi ready for white-ball cricket? Is he actually going to make a difference?" Chopra said.
While Chopra expressed his concerns over Nabi's maiden ODI call-up, he noted that latter’s bowling style is ideally suited for the helpful, swinging conditions in New Zealand, where India will play a couple of Tests later this year.
"Let's be honest about it, he does not have much pace. He has to bowl 10 overs, that too in different phases, so is he ready for that? I have not seen the evidence yet. I am going to wait and watch. The kind of performances we saw in the IPL, I don't think it was convincing enough to show that he can bowl in all three phases of an innings. I am still optimistic that he will get to play matches in New Zealand. He is almost ideal for those conditions. But against West Indies on flat pitches? I am not sure," he added.
Notably, Auqib Nabi received his maiden India call-up during the two-Test tour of Sri Lanka last month after Jasprit Bumrah failed to recover from his knee injury. However, he didn’t get a chance to feature in the playing XI.
It remains to be seen whether Nabi gets an opportunity to represent India in the ODI series against the West Indies.