New Delhi: Auqib Nabi’s long wait for a place in the Indian men’s Test team finally ended on Monday as the Jammu & Kashmir pacer was named in the squad for the upcoming two-Test series against Sri Lanka, beginning on August 15.

Hailing from Sheeri village in Baramulla, Nabi has earned his maiden Test call-up as a replacement for Jasprit Bumrah, who has been ruled out with left knee discomfort after sustaining the injury during an ODI against England in Cardiff last month.

Nicknamed the "Baramulla Express", Nabi's selection marks a significant milestone not only in his career but also in the history of Jammu & Kashmir cricket. India, currently fifth in the World Test Championship standings, will be hoping the in-form pacer strengthens their pace attack as they continue their push for a place in the WTC final.

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Nabi's inclusion comes after a remarkable domestic run over the past two seasons. The right-arm fast bowler claimed 104 wickets, including a 60-wicket haul that helped Jammu & Kashmir secure their maiden Ranji Trophy title earlier this year. Despite those performances, he missed out on selection for the one-off Test against Afghanistan, prompting criticism of the selectors. However, his six-wicket performance for India A in Galle ensured he remained firmly in contention.

With his selection, Nabi becomes the first cricketer from Jammu & Kashmir to be picked in India's Test squad. He is only the third player from the region to represent India in any format after Parvez Rasool and Umran Malik featured in white-ball cricket.

His call-up has been widely celebrated across the state.

Sunil Kumar, Nabi's new-ball partner for Jammu & Kashmir, expressed his delight after hearing the news.

“I am very happy for him because he is a person who’s very down-to-earth. He is a very hardworking person.

“Today, his hard work has yielded the fruit he truly deserves. I talked to him when he was with India ‘A’ team in Sri Lanka. It was a normal conversation and right now, only congratulations and stuff like that has happened,” he said to IANS on Monday.

Sunil described Nabi's selection as a landmark moment for aspiring cricketers from the region.

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“This is the first time that a guy from the state has gone to the Test Team. With the way our team was playing, especially in the past 2 years, we used to talk about who will break the barrier of getting into the national Test team and the person whose name always came first in this regard was of Auqib bhai.

"Now, we all can see that he has achieved it. So, everyone here will get a boost as now that door is open, which was closed for a long time. More players and more talent can come out of J&K and they can achieve their ultimate goal."

Confident of Nabi's ability to handle the demands of Test cricket, Sunil backed his teammate to succeed if given the opportunity in Sri Lanka.

"Auqib bhai will do well. There is no doubt about it because he is mentally tough. He knows that no matter what the conditions are, no matter how difficult a situation it is, he doesn't care. He knows that he has to come and bowl well in his areas to get the batters dismissed. I mean, he has the gumption and ability, as well as the awareness, to know that he can perform well at the Test level. Mentally, he is very tough."

BCCI-qualified coach Muzaffar Mattoo, who coached Jammu & Kashmir's Under-16 side to the Vijay Merchant Trophy Plate Group title in the 2025-26 season, also welcomed Nabi's elevation.

"It's a great moment for all of us and for the whole of Jammu & Kashmir. So we are delighted enough that Auqib has got a call-up for Team India and we hope that he will deliver the same form which he has already delivered in the Ranji Trophy. It's never late to get a call-up and we hope that he carries the same form there in Sri Lanka. The selectors felt that this is the right time for him. So we are all excited, we are all delighted and we hope all the best happens with Auqib," he told IANS.

Mattoo also recalled first spotting Nabi's talent as a youngster and helping him begin his cricketing journey with Baramulla Cricket Club.

“It was way back in 2010 when I picked him up, as that was the time he would play in his backyard. He used to play in my club. Then I used to coach him also during under-19 and under-23 days.

"We went there to his backyard, saw him and picked him there only and got him in our club. From there, he got a break, and much-needed exposure. He played club cricket and later represented the state. He had that flair from the very beginning. I talked to him yesterday.

"I said, ‘Fingers crossed. Let's hope that you will get a call-up from Team India,’ and he’s got it now. After the Vijay Merchant Trophy win, we got the Ranji Trophy triumph and now Auqib earned selection in the Indian Test team. So, cricket fortunes are rolling well in Jammu and Kashmir."

Although Nabi has secured a place in the squad, competition for a spot in the playing XI remains intense. With Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna and Gurnoor Brar also in the squad, and Sri Lankan conditions generally favouring spin, India are expected to field only two frontline seamers.

However, Nabi's familiarity with conditions in Galle following the recent India A tour could work in his favour if he is handed his Test debut.

As Nabi prepares to travel with the Indian squad to Sri Lanka, Sunil had one final message for his teammate.

“I would like to tell him to do what he has been doing. It’s easy - he has to do what he has been doing. Nothing new has to be done, and we know that he will do it,” he concluded. (IANS)