{"id":198444,"date":"2026-07-29T08:55:14","date_gmt":"2026-07-29T14:25:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/?p=198444"},"modified":"2026-07-29T08:55:14","modified_gmt":"2026-07-29T14:25:14","slug":"irfan-pathan-questions-auqib-nabis-omission-from-squas-for-sl-tests-what-signal-are-we-sending-to-domestic-cricketers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/?p=198444","title":{"rendered":"Irfan Pathan questions Auqib Nabi\u2019s omission from squas for SL Tests: \u2018What signal are we sending to domestic cricketers?\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"content-body-71281569\">Auqib Nabi\u2019s omission from India\u2019s Test squad for the Sri Lanka tour came despite another outstanding domestic season, where he claimed 60 wickets in the Ranji Trophy last season and played a key role in Jammu &amp; Kashmir winning its maiden title.<\/p>\n<p>Those performances earned him an IPL contract with Delhi Capitals and an India A call-up for the tour of Sri Lanka, where he claimed six wickets in two four-day matches.<\/p>\n<p>His performances had put him firmly in the conversation. The selectors, however, looked elsewhere.<\/p>\n<p>Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan, who has closely followed Nabi\u2019s rise and played a key role in shaping his domestic career, admitted he was left puzzled by the selectors\u2019 decision.<\/p>\n<p><b>ALSO READ | <a href=\"https:\/\/sportstar.thehindu.com\/cricket\/mohammed-shami-india-future-ranji-trophy-red-ball-selectors-decision-news\/article71276441.ece\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Mohammed Shami and the end that no one will announce<\/a><\/b><\/p>\n<p>\u201cI honestly don\u2019t have any logical answer for Nabi not being picked,\u201d Pathan told        <i>Sportstar<\/i>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"inline_embed article-block-item\"><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/aVM0zoDJf4Y?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>The former India fast bowler believes India missed the ideal opportunity to hand Nabi his debut during the one-off Test against Afghanistan, where the Jammu &amp; Kashmir pacer was part of the group as a back-up net bowler.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI didn\u2019t understand the selection process. Mohammad Siraj is your go-to bowler. When (Jasprit) Bumrah is not there, Siraj becomes your No.1 bowler. So, what was the need to play against Afghanistan in a Test that wasn\u2019t even part of the World Test Championship,\u201d Pathan said, adding: \u201cIf domestic performances matter, why didn\u2019t you reward Auqib? That was the best opportunity to play him and test him at that level\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n<p>In the New Chandigarh Test, Siraj bowled 13 overs and picked up one wicket, while left-arm spinner Manav Suthar finished with seven wickets in the match.<\/p>\n<p>Pathan also dismissed the argument that pace alone should determine a fast bowler\u2019s credentials.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cPeople talk about pace, but you\u2019ve got to see how a bowler is beating the bat. Is he troubling the best batters in domestic cricket? He has done that consistently. Even in the final of the Ranji Trophy, he troubled senior batters like K.L. Rahul and everyone saw that. So, his performances deserved a reward,\u201d Pathan said.<\/p>\n<p>Having spent over a decade leading India\u2019s pace attack, Pathan believes timing is crucial in a fast bowler\u2019s career.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe more you delay a fast bowler\u2019s peak, the more you are going to lose out on him. Fast bowlers are at their peak between 27 and 32. You don\u2019t want to miss that window, especially when someone is in rhythm,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>Nabi will turn 30 in November.<\/p>\n<p>Pathan also questioned the message such decisions send to domestic cricketers.<\/p>\n<p><b>ALSO READ |<a href=\"https:\/\/sportstar.thehindu.com\/cricket\/sooryavanshi-t20-batting-rankings-india-batting-gill-top-spot-update-news\/article71280802.ece\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> Vaibhav Sooryavanshi climbs 230 places in ICC T20I rankings<\/a><\/b><\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat signal are we sending to domestic cricketers? Saransh Jain getting picked on the back of domestic performances is fantastic. It tells domestic cricketers that performances will be rewarded. He\u2019s 33 and got rewarded for four or five years of consistent performances. But then, what\u2019s wrong with Auqib? He has performed consistently too, and as a fast bowler there are even more opportunities because pacers get injured more often, so a back-up always helps\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Pathan also pointed to Nabi\u2019s familiarity with Sri Lankan conditions following the India A tour and argued that his pace should not be viewed as a drawback.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDuring the IPL, he was bowling at 133-135 kph. If a bowler can swing the ball late at that pace, why is that not enough? He\u2019s even capable of batting at No. 8 or 9. I\u2019m still trying to find the logic behind this decision,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>For now, Nabi returns to the domestic circuit, still waiting for the opportunity many believed had finally arrived.<\/p>\n<p class=\"publish-time\" id=\"end-of-article\">Published on Jul 29, 2026<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/sportstar.thehindu.com\/cricket\/india-test-squad-sri-lanka-test-series-auqib-nabi-omission-domestic-success-value-irfan-pathan-reaction\/article71281569.ece\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Auqib Nabi\u2019s omission from India\u2019s Test squad for the Sri Lanka tour came despite another outstanding domestic season, where he claimed 60 wickets in the Ranji Trophy last season and played a key role in Jammu &amp; Kashmir winning its maiden title. Those performances earned him an IPL contract with Delhi Capitals and an India &#8230; <a title=\"Irfan Pathan questions Auqib Nabi\u2019s omission from squas for SL Tests: \u2018What signal are we sending to domestic cricketers?\u2019\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/?p=198444\" aria-label=\"Read more about Irfan Pathan questions Auqib Nabi\u2019s omission from squas for SL Tests: \u2018What signal are we sending to domestic cricketers?\u2019\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":198445,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-198444","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sports"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/image20100.jpg","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":196279,"url":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/?p=196279","url_meta":{"origin":198444,"position":0},"title":"India Test squad: Kuldeep, Washington fitness and Sai Sudharsan dominate Sri Lanka selection debate","author":"Ajay Kumar Verma","date":"July 23, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"And back to red-ball cricket. Fresh off an abject white-ball tour of the United Kingdom and Ireland, India\u2019s focus will soon turn back to the longest format as its red-ball season begins with a two-match tour of neighbouring Sri Lanka. It may seem distant now, but Gautam Gambhir and Shubman\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Sports&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Sports","link":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/?cat=9"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/PTI11_15_2025_000200A.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/PTI11_15_2025_000200A.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/PTI11_15_2025_000200A.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/PTI11_15_2025_000200A.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/PTI11_15_2025_000200A.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":198054,"url":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/?p=198054","url_meta":{"origin":198444,"position":1},"title":"India Test squad for Sri Lanka tour reviewed: Continuity wins over reset","author":"Ajay Kumar Verma","date":"July 28, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Sri Lanka has often served as a proving ground for India\u2019s spin-heavy Test combinations, and this squad reads as a vote for continuity rather than reset. There are no headline-grabbing surprises, but the selection offers a clearer glimpse into how Gautam Gambhir and Shubman Gill see the side\u2019s future. In\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Sports&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Sports","link":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/?cat=9"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/20251112095L.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/20251112095L.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/20251112095L.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/20251112095L.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/20251112095L.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":197994,"url":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/?p=197994","url_meta":{"origin":198444,"position":2},"title":"Ravindra Jadeja returns, Saransh Jain earns callup to India&#8217;s squad for Sri Lanka Tests","author":"Ajay Kumar Verma","date":"July 27, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Uncapped offspinning all-rounder Saransh Jain has earned a maiden Test call-up to India\u2019s squad for the upcoming two-match series in Sri Lanka in August. Saransh has been selected on the back of a hamstring injury to Washington Sundar, who has been officially ruled out of the first Test. Saransh could\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;National News&quot;","block_context":{"text":"National News","link":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/?cat=7"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/the-33-year-old-saransh-jain-has-earned-his-first-callup-to-the-national-setup.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/the-33-year-old-saransh-jain-has-earned-his-first-callup-to-the-national-setup.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/the-33-year-old-saransh-jain-has-earned-his-first-callup-to-the-national-setup.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":198100,"url":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/?p=198100","url_meta":{"origin":198444,"position":3},"title":"Mohammed Shami&#8217;s India future: Have the selectors finally looked past the Bengal pace ace?","author":"Ajay Kumar Verma","date":"July 28, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"When India\u2019s squad for the two-Test series against Sri Lanka was announced on Tuesday, there was no surprise in Mohammed Shami\u2019s omission. There was, however, a sense of finality. This was not a case of a player missing out because of a dip in form or a temporary fitness concern.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Sports&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Sports","link":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/?cat=9"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/PTI10_28_2025_000311B.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/PTI10_28_2025_000311B.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/PTI10_28_2025_000311B.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/PTI10_28_2025_000311B.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/PTI10_28_2025_000311B.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":198028,"url":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/?p=198028","url_meta":{"origin":198444,"position":4},"title":"Who is Saransh Jain? India&#8217;s new Test call-up for Sri Lanka series | Stats, age, career","author":"Ajay Kumar Verma","date":"July 28, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Madhya Pradesh\u2019s Saransh Jain has been included in India\u2019s Test squad for the two-match series against Sri Lanka, which begins in Galle on August 15. The 33-year-old off-spinning all-rounder has earned his maiden senior national call-up after years of consistent performances on the domestic circuit. An injury to Washington Sundar,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Sports&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Sports","link":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/?cat=9"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/DSC9107A.JPG?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/DSC9107A.JPG?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/DSC9107A.JPG?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/DSC9107A.JPG?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/DSC9107A.JPG?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":195090,"url":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/?p=195090","url_meta":{"origin":198444,"position":5},"title":"India Test squad for Sri Lanka tour likely this week; selectors sweat over Washington Sundar | Cricket News","author":"Ajay Kumar Verma","date":"July 20, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"India's Washington Sundar. (Photo by AP\/PTI) NEW DELHI: The men's senior selection committee, chaired by Ajit Agarkar, is likely to pick the squad for the upcoming two-Test tour of Sri Lanka, starting August 15 in Galle. Informal discussions took place on the sidelines of the white-ball tour in England, and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;National News&quot;","block_context":{"text":"National News","link":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/?cat=7"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1784610469_photo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1784610469_photo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1784610469_photo.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1784610469_photo.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1784610469_photo.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pgnRh4-PCI","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/198444","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=198444"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/198444\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/198445"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=198444"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=198444"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=198444"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}