After a brilliant Ranji Trophy season in 2025-26, which has left Jammu and Kashmir very close to a first-ever championship win, Auqib Nabi has certainly made the people who pick the teams pay attention. Ganguly – who used to captain India – publicly asked Ajit Agarkar, the chairman of the selectors, and the BCCI to think about Nabi for the national side, and said England was the place to begin.
Auqib Nabi’s Ranji Trophy season as a star
Nabi ended the season with the most wickets – sixty – and became the third fast bowler in Ranji history to get to that number in just one season. He had seven times taken five wickets in an innings; a great result for a 29-year-old who is from an area which doesn’t usually get much attention.
What really showed him to be special was how often he did well in all matches and on all surfaces. Nabi regularly gave the best domestic batsmen trouble, mixing seam and swing, and at the same time keeping control and stamina over long periods of bowling. These are the things that lead to success in first-class cricket, and are the most important things for the national selectors.
A really good performance in the Ranji final
In the final match at Hubballi, Nabi bowled a spell which changed the game, taking 5 for 54 in Karnataka’s first innings of 293. He got Mayank Agarwal out for 160, and later got rid of Shikhar Shetty, finishing off the attack which had previously allowed Jammu and Kashmir to get 584.
That effort gave J&K a definite lead of 291 in the first innings, and put them where they could almost win their first Ranji title. Nabi made the ball move in both directions on a pitch where other fast bowlers struggled, showing how good he was under pressure against a batting side with a lot of experience.
Sourav Ganguly’s public appeal to the selectors and BCCI
Sourav Ganguly praised Jammu and Kashmir’s efforts on X – the social media site – and clearly said that Nabi was a good candidate for national selection. He included the BCCI, Ajit Agarkar and BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia in his message, asking the committee to think about giving Nabi a chance in England this summer.
Ganguly pointed out the strength of players from more difficult backgrounds, and said Nabi was ‘on his way to playing in national colours’. Because Ganguly has influence in the board, and knows what international cricket needs, his advice adds weight to the discussion.
Why England would be good for Nabi’s skills
English summers usually suit seam and swing, which is exactly what Nabi is good at. His ability to make the ball move away and back, get bounce, and bowl with good lines makes him a good choice for tours where seam bowling is likely to be what wins the game.
Being exposed to English conditions would test Nabi at a higher level, and help the selectors decide how well he could adjust. If he did as well on that tour as he had at home against international players, a trial could speed up his being included in the longer forms of the game.
What the selection means and the future
Ajit Agarkar and the selection committee have to choose between players who are already well-known, and new players who are in good form. Picking people based on how they have played is the best way to defend the choice, and Nabi’s numbers mean he must be considered for India A teams, training camps, or the party going on tour itself.
Jammu and Kashmir almost winning the Ranji final has made national selectors look again at where talent is coming from outside the usual centres. If Nabi is picked, it would be a really important moment for the area, and show that performance is the main way to get to international cricket.
