The BCCI announced India’s squad for the Afghanistan series, controversially leaving out Jammu & Kashmir pacer Auqib Nabi Dar, who dominated the Ranji Trophy. Fans erupted on social media, questioning if IPL exposure now trumps domestic cricket merit for Test selection and criticizing the selectors’ approach.
The BCCI senior team selection committee, led by Ajit Agarkar, announced India squads for the one-off Test and the three-match ODI series against Afghanistan, which will begin in June following the conclusion of the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026.
Ajit Agarkar and his selection committee, along with BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia, met in Guwahati to finalize the selections. The chief selector held the press conference to address the media while unveiling the squads for the one-off Test and three-match ODI series against Afghanistan.
The selection committee made certain decisions, including managing Ravindra Jadeja and Jasprit Bumrah’s workloads, handing four players maiden national call-ups across both formats, and dropping Rishabh Pant entirely from the 50-over setup while stripping him of his Test vice-captaincy.
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Auqib Nabi Dar Ignored for One-Off Test
One of the key news from India’s squad announcement for Afghanistan was the exclusion of Jammu and Kashmir pacer Auqib Nabi for the one-off Test in New Chandigarh. Since the senior players Jasprit Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja were rested, it was expected that Auqib would be included in the Test squad for the solitary match against the visiting Afghanistan side.
However, the Jammu and Kashmir pacer’s name was not included in the squad list, despite chief selector Ajit Agarkar stating that the selection committee had a serious and thorough discussion regarding his inclusion, given his phenomenal domestic record. Auqib Nabi Dar had a sensational Ranji Trophy season, playing a pivotal role in Jammu and Kashmir’s title-winning campaign.
Alongside his role in Jammu and Kashmir’s maiden Ranji Trophy triumph, Auqib finished as the highest wicket-taker with 60 wickets, including 7 fifers and 2 four-wicket hauls, at an average of 12.56 and an economy rate of 2.65 in 10 matches. This was a much-improved performance from the previous season, where he picked 44 wickets, including 6 fifers and 2 four-wicket hauls, at an average of 13.93 and an economy rate of 2.74 in 8 matches.
Across two seasons, Auqib Nabi Dar has emerged as an absolute force in the domestic circuit, claiming a staggering 104 first-class wickets and thoroughly dismantling opposition batting lineups with unmatched consistency.
Jammu and Kashmir pacer’s ability to extract bounce on helpful domestic tracks was largely dictated by his immaculate length, sharp seam movement, and relentless accuracy, turning him into the most feared red-ball weapon in the country.
Has IPL Become a Criterion for India Squad Selection?
The Jammu and Kashmir pacer, Auqib Nabi’s exclusion from the India squad for the one-off Test against Afghanistan has sparked an intense debate on social media, especially X (formerly Twitter), with fans and cricket enthusiasts expressing immense frustration and slamming the selection panel for seemingly prioritizing raw physical attributes and IPL exposure over exceptional Ranji Trophy merit.
Taking to their X handles, fans and cricket enthusiasts slammed the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee for ignoring Auqib Nabi, who picked 60 wickets in the last Ranji Trophy season, calling out the selectors for favoring IPL exposure over consistent domestic performances and questioning the meritocracy of India’s Test selection process.
In his first-class career, Auqib Nabi has picked 156 wickets, including 16 fifers and 6 four-wicket hauls, at an average of 18.37 and an economy rate of 2.89 in 41 matches. He is also a handy lower-order batter, amassing 969 runs, including two fifties, at an average of 19.00.
Auqib Nabi is currently part of the Delhi Capitals in the ongoing IPL season after being picked by the franchise for a whopping INR 8.40 crore at the mini-auction in December last year. However, Jammu and Kashmir pacer has made only four appearances, but has not taken a single wicket.
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