Auqib Nabi Gets India Entry: Which Jammu And Kashmir Stars Could Be Next In Line?

Auqib Nabi (L) & BCCI Secretary and Chief Selector Devajit Saikia & Ajit Agarkar (Source: SLC/X & AFP Photos)

The BCCI on Monday gave Auqib Nabi a well-earned Test call-up for India. Nabi gets picked for India squad for Sri Lanka tour, replacing an injured Jasprit Bumrah.

Hailed from Jammu and Kashmir, Nabi had an extraordinary Ranji Trophy campaign last year. He took 60 wickets in 17 innings last season, and claimed 43 wickets in 13 innings a season before that in the same competition.

Auqib Nabi's Hard Work And Resilience Have Finally Paid Off

Rightly so, the 29-year-old got his chance to show his true potential for India. Adding to that, being someone who is Jammu and Kashmir, who reached new heights lately by winning their maiden Ranji Trophy title last year, the India call-up means a lot to others as well who have simultaneously helped the squad with consistent performance.

Also Read: "Hard Work Pays Off": Netizens Rejoice As Auqib Nabi Replaces Jasprit Bumrah In Indian Team

Here, in this article, let’s take a look at the other candidates from Jammu and Kashmir who could get a chance for India in the near future.

Sunil Kumar

Of late, India lack left-arm pacers in the senior team, with Arshdeep Singh being there as the sole option. Even though they do have Gurjapneet Singh, Khaleel Ahmed, and Mohsin Khan among other options, Jammu and Kashmir’s Sunil Kumar emerges as one of the candidates who can join Auqib Nabi as well soon.

[Sunil Kumar Stats]

Sunil, now 29 years old, took seven wickets in the Ranji Trophy semi-final for J&K. Besides, in the final against Karnataka, he took two wickets, which included the prized scalp of Devdutt Padikkal.

If Sunil keeps on doing wonderful things with the ball in the upcoming Ranji Trophy, don’t be surprised if he gets the same feeling of getting an India call-up like Aquib Nabi.

Vanshaj Sharma

Vanshaj Sharma is just 22 years old, and he has a good amount of time to shine in front of him. He comes to bat late for J&K and can be more than decent with the left-arm spin. His impact with both bat and ball was significant enough to grab the limelight.

[Vanshaj Sharma Stats]

With Ravindra Jadeja getting old, India would look to have someone young like Vanshaj for a longer run in Tests. Vanshaj, if he keeps performing at least in red-ball cricket, can be the ideal man to replace him.

Qamran Iqbal

24-year-old Qamran Iqbal, who opens for Jammu and Kashmir, had a superb Ranji Trophy campaign, as well as the Vijay Hazare Trophy campaign. Iqbal’s best contribution included an unbeaten 160 in the Ranji Trophy final against Karnataka, which played an important part in their historic title triumph.

Besides, Qamran had three fifty-or-more scores in five Vijay Hazare Trophy matches last edition, with an unbeaten 73 against Chandigarh being his best above all in the 50-over competition.

[Qamran Iqbal Stats]

Even though India have quite a few options in the opening department, there is always a chance for a specialist Test opener to rise through the ranks due to workload management. If the opportunity arises for Qamran, he must go the full monty to keep his place there.

Besides, North Zone squad for Duleep Trophy was announced on Monday. Qamran Iqbal and Sunil Kumar were picked, while there was no room for Vanshaj Sharma.

Also Read: Tamil Nadu Premier League 2026 Schedule, Live Streaming, Live Telecast In India, Squads, Venues