India's hopes of reaching the World Test Championship (WTC) final hang by a thread after failing to whitewash Sri Lanka, and the Shubman Gill-led side needs to win six out of their remaining seven Tests to have any chance of making the trip to the Oval next year. However, the task is far easier said than done, as the remaining assignments are against New Zealand (away, 2 Tests) and Australia (home, 5 Tests). Looking at the enormity of the task at hand, the BCCI is leaving nothing to chance and exploring an opportunity for Jammu and Kashmir pacer Auqib Nabi to gain valuable red-ball experience in English conditions.
According to news agency PTI, the board is understood to be in discussions with a few county clubs over a short-term deal that could see Nabi feature in the final stages of the County Championship. The move is aimed at giving the young pacer competitive match practice before India begins preparations for their New Zealand tour.
Nabi made a strong impression in the previous Ranji Trophy season, finishing as the competition’s leading wicket-taker with 60 scalps. Despite that standout campaign, the pacer was not included in India’s XI for either of the two Tests against Sri Lanka. The BCCI now wants to ensure that Nabi gets meaningful game time rather than spending an extended period on the sidelines.
Surrey is among the counties understood to have shown interest in Nabi. The PTI report stated that the London-based club are reportedly seeking a bowler capable of exploiting movement through the air, making the Indian pacer a potential fit for their requirements.
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{{/usCountry}}Surrey is among the counties understood to have shown interest in Nabi. The PTI report stated that the London-based club are reportedly seeking a bowler capable of exploiting movement through the air, making the Indian pacer a potential fit for their requirements.
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{{/usCountry}}Former England captain Alec Stewart, who holds a senior position at Surrey, is also believed to have been involved in discussions with the BCCI regarding the possibility of Nabi joining the county.
The plan could provide Nabi with two or three first-class appearances in England, something the Indian team management considers useful even though New Zealand offers a different set of conditions.
“New Zealand will obviously present a different challenge, but Auqib remains in the plans. Getting a couple of red-ball games in England would certainly help his preparation,” a BCCI source told PTI.
The board is also understood to be working on Nabi’s UK visa arrangements. Once those formalities are completed, he could travel to England and link up with a county side.
Indian players have increasingly used county cricket to sharpen their red-ball skills in conditions that offer challenges different from those in the subcontinent. Manav Suthar has already represented Warwickshire in two matches, while Kuldeep Yadav has returned to England for Yorkshire's red-ball fixtures. Ashutosh Sharma also featured for Middlesex in the Royal London One-Day Cup, while R Sai Kishore is currently representing Gloucestershire.
Gurnoor Brar, another promising fast bowler who was not part of India’s XI against Sri Lanka, is set to take a different route to gaining red-ball experience. He will join North Zone for their Duleep Trophy semi-final against South Zone, scheduled to begin on November 30 at the Centre of Excellence.