Now Reading: BCCI eyes English county stint for pacer Auqib Nabi ahead of NZ tour
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BCCI eyes English county stint for pacer Auqib Nabi ahead of NZ tour
The BCCI is in talks with English county clubs to arrange a short-term contract for Jammu and Kashmir pacer Auqib Nabi during the final rounds of the County Championship, ahead of India's…
The BCCI is in talks with English county clubs to arrange a short-term contract for Jammu and Kashmir pacer Auqib Nabi during the final rounds of the County Championship, ahead of India's Test tour of New Zealand. Nabi, who took 60 wickets in the last Ranji season, did not feature in the playing XI for the two Tests against Sri Lanka recently.
According to a BCCI source, the team think-tank wants Nabi to get at least two to three red-ball games in England to prepare for New Zealand conditions. Surrey, where former England captain Alec Stewart is in charge, is seen as a potential destination as the club looks for a swing bowler.
Gurnoor Brar, another pacer who was not picked for the Sri Lanka Tests, will instead play the Duleep Trophy for North Zone starting November 30. The BCCI is working on Nabi's UK visa, and he may travel upon approval.
Indian Opinion Analysis
The BCCI has increasingly used county stints to prepare fast bowlers for overseas tours, with Kuldeep Yadav and Manav Suthar among recent examples. Nabi, at 24, has risen fast through domestic ranks but has no international exposure. A few matches in English conditions could help the selectors assess his adaptability before the New Zealand Tests in October 2025. Whether Surrey finalises a deal and how many games Nabi actually gets will determine if the plan pays off.
Source: sports.ndtv.com
This brief was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
