Ranji Trophy Final: Why J&K Pacer Auqib Nabi Dar Could Make India’s Test Squad? Explained

Jammu & Kashmir pacer Auqib Nabi Dar led the Ranji Trophy 2025/26 with 60 wickets, guiding J&K to their first final. His consistency, swing mastery, adaptability, and useful lower-order batting make him a top contender for India’s Test squad.

Auqib Nabi Dar Shining in Ranji Trophy 2025/26

Jammu and Kashmir pacer Aquib Nabi Dar has been making waves in the ongoing domestic season, especially the Ranji Trophy 2025/26, where he has dominated the headlines with his consistent performances. Auqib has become the leading wicket-taker of the ongoing Ranji Trophy season, picking 60 wickets and playing a key role in helping J&K reach their maiden final of the tournament.

In the final, against Karnataka in Hubli, which will conclude on February 28, Auqib has dismantled the opposition’s batting line-up with his five-wicket haul and registered the figures of 5/54 at an economy rate of 2.30 in 23 overs in the first innings. His dominant performance with the ball allowed his team to build a massive first-innings lead and put them on the verge of a historic first Ranji Trophy triumph.

Auqib Nabi Dar’s performance in the final has earned praise from former India cricketers Sourav Ganguly and Dinesh Karthik, who demanded his inclusion in the India squad. Ganguly wanted the selectors to pick him for India’s white-ball tour of England, while Karthik demanded his inclusion in the Test squad.

On that note, let’s take a look at why Auqib Nabi Dar could be considered for India’s Test selection.

Strong Domestic Form

Jammu and Kashmir’s lead pacer might be dominating the ongoing edition of the Ranji Trophy, but he has also shown remarkable consistency over the past few seasons. Auqib Nabi had a breakthrough Ranji Trophy season during 2024/25, claiming 44 wickets in 8 matches, making him the second-highest wicket-taker of the edition. This was a significant improvement for Auqib, who picked 44 wickets in 22 matches across three Ranji Trophy seasons from 2020 to 2023.

In the Duldeep Trophy 2024/25, debuting for North Zone, Jammu and Kashmir pacer became the first bowler to take 4 wickets in 4 balls in the tournament’s history, achieving the feat against East. In the quarterfinal and semifinal against Madhya Pradesh and Bengal, respectively, Auqib combined 21 wickets, showcasing his ability to deliver under pressure in crucial matches.

Dual Spin Threat

Auqib Nabi Dar has been a serious threat to the opposition batters in the past two Ranji Trophy seasons due to his ability to swing the new ball both ways and extract sharp bounce from the pitch. While he delivers outswing to the right-handed batters, he can also bowl effective inswingers, keeping them guessing.

Auqib’s ability to switch between both types of swings and vary pace could make him unpredictable and difficult to score off. Having a pacer of Auqib Nabi’s calibre in the India Test squad would strengthen the pace batting by adding versatility and depth to India’s bowling attack, which favours swing and seam. The 29-year-old could be a valuable addition to India’s red-ball setup as he can add depth and swing to the bowling attack.

Mohammed Shami’s Like-for-Like Replacement

The BCCI selectors apparently moved on from Mohammed Shami after he was excluded from the India squad for the Test series against England, New Zealand, and South Africa, creating a gap for a seasoned swing bowler. Aquib Nabi Dar, with his consistent domestic performances and ability to swing both ways, could serve as a like-for-like replacement, bringing experience, versatility, and control for India’s pace attack.

Auqib’s bowling action and wrist position have often been compared to Shami's by Jammu and Kashmir bowling coach, P. Krishnakumar, who noted that the 29-year-old’s bowling action, including his consistent release and seam alignment, allows him to generate swing and bounce effectively, making him a technically reliable option as a replacement for Mohammad Shami in India’s red-ball pace attack.

Adaptability Across Conditions

Throughout the ongoing Ranji Trophy 2025/26 season, Auqib Nabi Dar has been quite adaptive with his line and lengths, adjusting his swing, seam, and pace according to the conditions of the pitch. Whether on batting-friendly or slower surfaces, which have favoured, Jammu and Kashmir pacer has troubled the batters consistently with clever use of swing and subtle variations.

This can be evidenced by his performance in the quarterfinal against Madhya Pradesh, which was played on low‑scoring conditions in Indore. Auqib tore into the opposition batting line-up and picked 12 wickets across both innings, which helped Jammu and Kashmir to secure a spot in the semifinal. Therefore, his ability to adapt to varying pitch conditions and consistently deliver match-winning performances makes him a strong contender for a place in India’s Test squad.

All-Round Utility

Auqib Nabi Dar isn’t just a pacer but also an all-rounder who can contribute valuable runs in the lower-order. In a Vijay Hazare Trophy against Hyderabad, Auqib scored an unbeaten 114 off 82 balls to help Jammu and Kashmir chase down a 269-run target after they were left reeling 90/7. In the ongoing Ranji Trophy season, Auqib has amassed 245 runs, including two fifties, at an average of 22.27 in 10 matches, including the final against Karnataka.

Jammu and Kashmir cricketer delivered a counter-attacking innings in the lower-order, which has shown that he can rescue innings under pressure, giving India an extra dimension in Tests. Having a pacer who can contribute with the bat in the lower order dds depth to India’s lineup, making Auqib Nabi Dar a complete package. With his all-round ability, Auqib Nabi Dar appears to be a strong contender for India’s Test squad for the Test series against Sri Lanka and New Zealand this year.