The Indian national selection committee recently unveiled the 15-member Test squad for the upcoming two-match series against Sri Lanka scheduled for August, triggering widespread discussion across the cricketing fraternity. While veteran Madhya Pradesh off-spinner Saransh Jain finally earned his maiden national call-up following years of persistent domestic success, Jammu & Kashmir’s star fast bowler Auqib Nabi found himself inexplicably left on the sidelines once again. Nabi, who played a central role in guiding his state side to a historic maiden Ranji Trophy victory with a staggering 60-wicket tally last season, continues to wait for his opportunity on the grand stage despite delivering consistent performances across red-ball formats.
Irfan Pathan blasts India Team Management over the omission of Ranji Trophy’s top bowler
Former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan, who has mentored Nabi closely during his formative cricketing years, voiced deep frustration regarding the selection committee’s unpredictable criteria. Speaking candidly about the decision, Pathan expressed genuine disbelief over how a bowler of Nabi’s caliber was repeatedly overlooked despite establishing benchmark domestic numbers.
Pathan targeted the management’s squad rotation logic, highlighting missed opportunities to integrate emerging pace talent into the national fold. He questioned why primary seamers were overworked in non-World Test Championship (WTC) fixtures while red-hot domestic performers were bypassed.
“I honestly don’t have any logical answer for Nabi not being picked,” Pathan said to Sportstar.
According to Pathan, when primary strike bowlers like Jasprit Bumrah are rested, established pacers such as Mohammad Siraj shoulder heavy workloads. Matches outside the WTC cycle could instead serve as ideal testing grounds for emerging domestic performers like Nabi.
“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,” he added.
While praising Jain’s call-up at age 33 as a positive message for seasoned domestic players, Pathan emphasized that ignoring top fast bowlers sends a confusing, contradictory signal to young seamers working tirelessly in domestic circuits, especially given how frequently fast bowlers require workload management and injury backups.
“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 backup always helps,” Pathan concluded.
Stellar domestic numbers fail to secure national breakthrough
Nabi’s exclusion comes as a heavy blow following an extraordinary domestic campaign that firmly established him among the most lethal seamers in the country. His 60-wicket run was the ultimate driving force behind Jammu & Kashmir’s fairy-tale title run. Building on that momentum, the fiery pacer earned an Indian Premier League contract with Delhi Capitals and continued his fine form for India A on their recent tour of Sri Lanka, where he picked up six wickets across two four-day fixtures.
Despite proving his mettle across diverse conditions and higher-tier competitive fixtures, the national team door remains closed for the young pacer. For domestic aspirants, the stark contrast between rewarding Jain and ignoring Nabi leaves a pressing question regarding what more a fast bowler must achieve to earn an elusive India cap. As the team prepares for the upcoming red-ball challenge, the selection management faces growing scrutiny over its long-term strategy for building reliable fast-bowling depth.
