CHENNAI: Auqib Nabi has been making waves with his stellar displayers in the domestic circuit for the past couple of years. A lot has come his way in this period with the most prominent being his side, Jammu and Kashmir, being crowned the Ranji Trophy champion the previous season with him being the leading wicket taker with 60 scalps.
An IPL contract came along earlier this year but all of those achievements took a backseat on Monday when he received a maiden call-up to the senior national team for the two-Test series in Sri Lanka. He was named as a replacement for injured Jasprit Bumrah and with that he became third player from the Valley after Parvez Rasool and Umran Malik to get a call up to the senior men's team. Nabi may even go a step further if he makes his debut as that will make him the first player from J&K to play a Test for the country.
P Krishnakumar, bowling coach, has seen Nabi's rise from close quarters during his three-year stint with the reigning Ranji Trophy champions. In that period, the former pace-bowling all-rounder from Rajasthan spent considerable time with the Baramulla speedster and played a key role in his growth as an effective bowler.
As Krishnakumar moved on to his next assignment with the BCCI's Centre of Excellence (CoE), Bengaluru in June this year, his famous ward put on India A whites a few days later to take on Sri Lanka A in the first of two unofficial Tests in Galle.
The 29-year-old right arm pacer opened the bowling for his team in the first match but returned wicketless in his first spell. Having mostly bowled with SG balls in his career so far, Kookaburra balls, used in Sri Lanka, seemed to be the issue. Nabi, however, adapted quite well with the new ball and made a successful return claiming four wickets in Sri Lanka's first innings. "Lakshmipathy Balaji, who accompanied the team to the Island Nation, called me and said Nabi bowled wonderfully in his second spell. He hardly bowled with Kookaburra before the Sri Lanka tour but adjusted quickly to make an impression," Krishnakumar told this daily while expressing delight on Nabi's call-up.
Incidentally, the former India and Tamil Nadu pacer is one of the three fast-bowling coaches recruited by BCCI recently to hone the skills of pacers at the CoE. VRV Singh is the third appointee.
As fate would have it, Nabi and Anshul Kamboj, another India pacer, headed to the CoE and spent around 10 days there a few days before replacing Bumrah in the Indian squad. That turned out to be a reunion of sorts as Nabi once again joined forces with Krishnakumar, who was at the centre in his new role. "Basically they were here to prepare for the Duleep Trophy but both balls were used for preparations keeping the Sri Lanka tour in mind. As a coach, we try to give complete preparations to the players. What kind of pitches they are expected to get, what lines and lengths should be bowled on such surfaces and how to bowl to different batters in the opposite ranks. Basically, try to prepare them using data available with us," added the coach.
Krishnakumar said the more Nabi bowls in the nets with the Kookaburra ball, the better he will get. "He will have experts with him during the tour. They can guide him there. Besides, the fellow pacers, who have experience of bowling with Kookaburra, can also lend valuable advice."
Nabi's biggest strength is his ability to remain unfazed no matter how big the occasion is. And that can turn out to be his biggest ally if he makes his India debut. Krishnakumar said the only thing Nabi has to do is to play his natural game and bowl to his strengths without worrying about other aspects. "He should trust his natural abilities and focus on his strengths. He has taken wickets on placid tracks during domestic competitions and can do that in Sri Lanka even if pitches are not conducive for fast bowlers. He just has to consider it as another match and give his best. I am quite confident he will be successful if given an opportunity," believed the coach.
A big moment for J&K, country
Jammu and Kashmir were considered domestic minnows not long back before they transformed into a force to reckon with in the last few years. Krishakumar said Nabi's national call-up will give belief to every aspiring cricketer not only from J&K but across the country. "It's a huge moment for the Valley and the country. It will make every aspiring cricketer believe that they can make it to the Indian team if they work hard and perform in domestic tournaments. Nabi comes from a small place and as everyone knows, pursuing cricket is not easy in J&K. But he not only did that but also made it to the team. As a coach, it's also a big achievement for me but credit should go to Nabi. He had shown trust in me and my methods and responded to my teachings."
With the first Test scheduled in Galle, Nabi will be full of confidence given his past experience at the venue. A good training session with his former bowling coach and Kookaburra balls at the CoE will only add to his confidence come August 15.
