Srinagar, Aug 03: Jammu and Kashmir fast bowler Auqib Nabi has earned his maiden call-up to the Indian senior men’s Test squad after being named as injured Jasprit Bumrah’s replacement for the upcoming two-match Test series against Sri Lanka.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Monday confirmed that Bumrah has been ruled out of the series after failing to recover fully from the left knee injury he sustained during the ODI series against England. The Men’s Selection Committee subsequently named Nabi as his replacement.
“The Men’s Selection Committee has named Auqib Nabi as Bumrah’s replacement. The Jammu and Kashmir fast bowler earns his maiden call-up to the senior national team,” the BCCI said in an official statement.
The call-up marks another milestone for Jammu and Kashmir cricket, with Nabi becoming only the third player from the Union Territory to receive a senior India call-up after Parvez Rasool and Umran Malik. He is also in line to become the first cricketer from J&K to make his Test debut if he gets an opportunity during the series.
The 29-year-old pacer has earned national recognition following a string of impressive domestic performances. He picked up 104 wickets across the last two Ranji Trophy seasons, including 60 wickets in the 2025-26 season, playing a pivotal role in Jammu and Kashmir’s maiden Ranji Trophy triumph. Nabi also impressed on the recent India A tour of Sri Lanka, claiming six wickets in two first-class matches, besides representing Delhi Capitals in IPL 2026.
India’s updated squad for the Sri Lanka Tests comprises Shubman Gill (captain), KL Rahul (vice-captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant (wicketkeeper), Sai Sudharsan (subject to fitness clearance), Dhruv Jurel (wicketkeeper), Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Manav Suthar, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Gurnoor Brar, Devdutt Padikkal, Saransh Jain and Auqib Nabi.
The two-match Test series will begin in Galle on August 15, with the second and final Test scheduled to be played in Colombo from August 23.
