Nabi was the leading wicket-taker of the 2025–26 Ranji Trophy season.
Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan expressed complete bafflement over Auqib Nabi’s absence from India’s Test squad for the upcoming Sri Lanka tour.
Nabi was the star performer of the 2025–26 Ranji Trophy season, claiming 60 wickets in just 10 matches and earning the Player of the Tournament award after leading Jammu & Kashmir to their historic maiden Ranji Trophy title.
Pathan openly criticized the selectors for prioritizing out-of-action players or IPL visibility over proven red-ball consistency. He believes India missed the opportunity to hand Nabi his debut cap during the one-off Test against Afghanistan in Chandigarh, especially since premier pacer Jasprit Bumrah was being rested.
“I honestly don’t have any logical answer for Nabi not being picked,” Pathan said in an exclusive chat with Sportstar.
He added, “I didn’t understand the selection process. Mohammad Siraj is your go-to bowler. When (Jasprit) Bumrah is not there, Siraj becomes your No.1 bowler. So, what was the need to play against Afghanistan in a Test that wasn’t even part of the World Test Championship. If domestic performances matter, why didn’t you reward Auqib? That was the best opportunity to play him and test him at that level…”
Pathan also dismissed concerns regarding Nabi's bowling speed, arguing the latter regularly clocks 133-135 kph, possesses lethal late swing, and can bat effectively at No. 8 or 9.
“People talk about pace, but you’ve got to see how a bowler is beating the bat. Is he troubling the best batters in domestic cricket? He has done that consistently. Even in the final of the Ranji Trophy, he troubled senior batters like K.L. Rahul and everyone saw that. So, his performances deserved a reward,” Pathan stated.
“During the IPL, he was bowling at 133-135 kph. If a bowler can swing the ball late at that pace, why is that not enough? He’s even capable of batting at No. 8 or 9. I’m still trying to find the logic behind this decision,” he remarked.
Pathan highlighted the peak window for fast bowlers, noting that delaying selection when they are in excellent form wastes their most productive years.
“The more you delay a fast bowler’s peak, the more you are going to lose out on him. Fast bowlers are at their peak between 27 and 32. You don’t want to miss that window, especially when someone is in rhythm,” he further remarked.
Irfan Pathan warned that ignoring such monumental domestic performances sends a damaging signal to grassroots cricketers striving through the Ranji circuit.
"What signal are we sending to domestic cricketers? Saransh Jain getting picked on the back of domestic performances is fantastic. It tells domestic cricketers that performances will be rewarded. He’s 33 and got rewarded for four or five years of consistent performances. But then, what’s wrong with Auqib? He has performed consistently too, and as a fast bowler there are even more opportunities because pacers get injured more often, so a back-up always helps…"