Now Reading: Jammu pacer Nabi gets maiden Test call-up, replaces injured Bumrah for Sri Lanka series
-
01
Jammu pacer Nabi gets maiden Test call-up, replaces injured Bumrah for Sri Lanka series
Jammu pacer Nabi gets maiden Test call-up, replaces injured Bumrah for Sri Lanka series
Jammu and Kashmir pacer Auqib Nabi and Madhya Pradesh all-rounder Saransh Jain have earned maiden India Test call-ups as replacements for injured fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah for the upcoming two-Test series against…
The Story in Brief
Jammu and Kashmir pacer Auqib Nabi and Madhya Pradesh all-rounder Saransh Jain have earned maiden India Test call-ups as replacements for injured fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah for the upcoming two-Test series against Sri Lanka, beginning in Galle on Saturday. Both players were part of Ranji Trophy-winning teams, Nabi helped J&K win its first title last season, and Jain was with Madhya Pradesh's victorious 2021-22 side.
Nabi and Jain learned of their selection in surreal moments: Nabi was at an airport about to board a flight to a camp when told to head to Sri Lanka instead, while Jain got the news while driving to a temple. Both said they never lost faith despite years of domestic cricket. "I knew I would get the call-up today or tomorrow because when you are doing well for so many years, you are meant to get returns from the hard work," Nabi said.
The Indian Opinion
The feel-good narrative, domestic grind rewarded, patience pays off, is hard to resist. But the real story is about the shrinking gap between first-class cricket and the Test team. Two uncapped players replacing Jasprit Bumrah exposes the lack of established bench strength in Indian fast bowling. Saransh Jain being 33 also questions whether selectors are looking at age or just form. The test to watch: how many more uncapped players get called up in this series, that number will tell us if this is a one-off or a trend.
Sources (3): rediff.com, thehindu.com, timesofindia.indiatimes.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the 3 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 3 sources.
