Auqib Nabi Earns Maiden India Test Call-Up as Bumrah Misses Sri Lanka Series

India have handed fast bowler Auqib Nabi his first Test call-up for the upcoming series against Sri Lanka. The Jammu and Kashmir pacer replaces Jasprit Bumrah, who has been ruled out after failing to recover fully from a left knee injury.

Nabi’s selection comes after two outstanding domestic seasons that turned him into one of the country’s most promising fast bowlers. His consistent performances in the Ranji Trophy and for India A helped him move quickly into the senior national setup.

The right-arm pacer picked up 104 wickets across the last two Ranji Trophy seasons, including an impressive 60 wickets in the 2025-26 campaign. He also played a key role in helping Jammu and Kashmir win their first-ever Ranji Trophy title, making himself impossible for the selectors to ignore.

Nabi carried that form into the India A team during the recent tour against Sri Lanka A. He claimed six wickets in the series and showed he could perform against strong opposition, strengthening his case for a place in the senior squad.

With Bumrah unavailable, Nabi now has a chance to make his Test debut if he is picked in the playing XI. Bumrah’s injury continues to delay his return to red-ball cricket, leaving India without one of their most experienced fast bowlers.

India will be led by Shubman Gill in the Sri Lanka Test series, with KL Rahul serving as the vice-captain. Young left-handed batter Sai Sudharsan has also retained his place in the squad, although his participation depends on receiving fitness clearance before the series begins.

For Nabi, the call-up marks a remarkable rise from domestic cricket to the national team in a short period. Another strong performance could help him establish himself as a long-term option in India’s pace attack.

Updated India squad:

Shubman Gill (c), KL Rahul (vc), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant (wk), Sai Sudharsan*, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Manav Suthar, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Gurnoor Brar, Devdutt Padikkal, Saransh Jain, Auqib Nabi