Archive · 13 Aug 2026
Auqib Nabi: 'Couldn't believe' maiden India call-up for Sri Lanka
The Indian cricket team is getting ready to play a series of matches against Sri Lanka.
One of its star bowlers, Jasprit Bumrah, got hurt before the matches started.
When a player is injured, someone else has to take their place.
The team chose a new bowler named Auqib Nabi.
He plays for Jammu and Kashmir and has been taking many wickets in domestic cricket.
Auqib was at the airport, about to fly to Bangalore for a training camp, when he got a phone call.
The call told him not to go to Bangalore, but to come to Sri Lanka instead because he had been picked for the team.
At first, Auqib couldn't believe the great news.
He thought it was unexpected because the team list had already been announced.
This is his very first time being called up to play for India.
Jammu and Kashmir pacer Auqib Nabi received a maiden India call-up as a replacement for the injured Jasprit Bumrah.
Bumrah was pulled out of the squad for the series against Sri Lanka, which starts on Saturday, due to injury.
Nabi learned of his selection by phone at the airport, just as he was about to board a flight to Bangalore for a camp at the Centre of Excellence (CoE).
Nabi said he initially couldn't believe the news because the squad had already been announced and the selection was unexpected.
Nabi has been impressive in domestic cricket for the last couple of years, consistently piling up wickets.
- Who
- Auqib Nabi, a pacer from Jammu and Kashmir, who was called up to the India squad; Jasprit Bumrah, the injured bowler he replaced.
- What
- Nabi received a maiden India call-up as a replacement for Bumrah, learning the news by phone while at the airport.
- When
- Ahead of the series against Sri Lanka starting on Saturday, after the squad had already been announced.
- Where
- India's squad heading to Sri Lanka; Nabi was at the airport, about to board a flight to Bangalore for a Centre of Excellence (CoE) camp.
- Why
- Because Jasprit Bumrah was pulled out of the squad due to injury.
- Player
- Auqib Nabi
- Team represented
- Jammu and Kashmir (domestic cricket)
- Nature of call-up
- Maiden India call-up, injury replacement
- Player replaced
- Jasprit Bumrah (injured)
- Series
- India vs Sri Lanka
- Series start
- Saturday
- Where he received the news
- At the airport, before boarding a flight to Bangalore for a CoE camp
- Announcement source
- Video released by BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India)