Auqib Nabi joins Surrey to play three matches in County Championship
New Delhi, Sep 1 (IANS) Uncapped Indian fast-bowler Auqib Nabi has joined the English County side Surrey to participate in three matches in the County Championship after his recent India call-up.
The 29-year-old has been one of the emerging stars in Indian domestic cricket after his stellar Ranji Trophy campaign, during which he picked 60 wickets and helped Jammu and Kashmir lift their maiden title.
Nabi will now be in action for Surrey in their upcoming three matches against Yorkshire, Sussex and Glamorgan. IANS had previously reported on August 28 about the possibility of Nabi joining Surrey on Sunday and playing in the County Championship.
He will play in three matches for Surrey, starting with the game against Yorkshire on September 2 at The Oval. It is followed by games against Sussex and Glamorgan in Hove and The Oval on September 8 and 15, respectively. “Yes, Auqib has got his visa for going to England, after all the paperwork was done. It is understood that he’s expected to depart for England from New Delhi today. If all goes well, he may be available for the game starting on September 2.
“The main purpose of this stint is also for the Indian team management and selectors to check if Nabi can swing the ball well there in England, as the climate in New Zealand for the Test series will need for him to do that in conducive conditions with the red Kookaburra ball in hand,” a source familiar with the development had told IANS on Sunday.
The move comes after he received his maiden India call-up as a replacement for the injured Jasprit Bumrah for the recent Test series against Sri Lanka, although he did not make his debut as India went with two pacers in both matches.
While Nabi will be in action in the English county cricket, he is expected to return in time for India A’s matches against Australia A, which will start from September 22.
On this short-term association, Auqib Nabi said: “It’s an honour to join Surrey, one of the best Clubs in England. I’m looking forward to learning from the group and helping them for the next three matches.”
“With the exceptionally challenging schedule of six games in six weeks, with minimal recovery between matches along with international fixtures, we’ve had to add options to our bowling stocks for the County Championship run-in. We look forward to welcoming Auqib to the group this week,” Alec Stewart, Director of Surrey men’s cricket, said.
Nabi has been a star performer in the previous two Ranji trophies, having picked up 100 wickets across the two seasons. He also hogged the limelight when he picked four wickets in four balls for the North Zone in the Duleep Trophy in 2025. He was later signed by Delhi Capitals in 2026, where he played five matches for the franchise.
–IANS
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