Aakash Chopra claims that Jasprit Bumrah’s incapacity to recover for the Test series in Sri Lanka has enabled Auqib Nabi to succeed in international cricket. The fast bowler from Jammu and Kashmir has replaced Bumrah for India’s two-match Test series against Dhananjaya and company.
Last year, Nabi finished as the leading wicket-taker in the Ranji Trophy, confirming his exceptional performance from the previous season of the red-ball competition. The Delhi Capitals chose the right-arm seamer at the IPL 2026 mini-auction. This year, he too didn’t do well in the IPL.
“Auqib Nabi should be at the top of the list,” Chopra said, ignoring Nabi’s poor performance in the lucrative league and praising his exceptional numbers in red-ball cricket. In the past two years, he has taken over 100 first-class wickets. Last season, he took 60 first-class wickets. He was excluded, yet this could be a blessing. He has done well with the red ball, and this is a red-ball tour, so forget about the IPL. In a video posted to his YouTube channel, Chopra stated, “I believe Auqib Nabi should be an automatic choice.”
Anshul Kamboj is another seamer who deserves a place in India’s red-ball team, according to Chopra, in addition to Nabi. The Chennai Super Kings bowler earned his national debut last year when India headed to England for a five-match Test series against the Three Lions. He only played one game on the trip. “Anshul Kamboj comes to mind when I think about a second name.” During the England tour, he made his debut.
Although he has only participated in one game thus far, he has proven reliable. You will conclude that he is excellent if you look at his first-class numbers. AK-47 has form, rhythm, and first-class wickets to his credit, so you should give him some thought. He is therefore the second contender. One of these two, Anshul Kamboj No. 2 and Auqib Nabi No. 1,” he noted.
“I am slightly surprised and troubled” is Aakash Chopra’s statement regarding the present first-class numbers of Indian seamers.
Aakash Chopra went on, “I checked the red-ball numbers, and I am slightly surprised and troubled. Only a few seamers have recently contributed significantly with the ball in domestic red-ball cricket.” The pool is quite tiny. Only two fast bowlers—Auqib Nabi with 60 wickets and Mohammad Shami with 37 wickets—were among the top 10 in the 2025–26 season.
There were three if we look at the previous year. They also include Auqib Nabi. With 44 wickets, he is ranked first, followed by Manishankar Murasingh and Shardul Thakur, each with 35 wickets, he stated.
Nabi and Mohammed Shami are two bowlers who have outperformed others over the last two Ranji Trophy seasons, according to Aakash Chopra.
“Are you considering taking tests at Shardul? Do you think Murasingh will be called up for the Test? No. Therefore, it makes sense that the only people you have seen in the last two years are Auqib Nabi and Mohammad Shami, if you wish to follow him. Then, Gaurav Yadav with 41 wickets, Vijaykumar Vyshak with 39 wickets, and Deepak Dhapula with 38 wickets if we move on to 2023–2024,” Aakash Chopra noted.
According to Aakash Chopra, “if you go before that (2022-23), you see two known bowlers – Akash Deep and Avesh Khan.” Few fast bowlers have been among the top 10 wicket-takers in the preceding five domestic seasons. Gaurav Yadav returns in 2021–2022, but he only takes 23 wickets. Ravi Teja, Mukesh Kumar, and Baltej Singh follow. “Where are the bowlers?” he asked.
