Three Jammu & Kashmir cricketers called up to India squads, Auqib Nabi earns maiden Test selection

Three cricketers from Jammu and Kashmir — Parvez Rasool, Umran Malik and Auqib Nabi — have received call-ups to Indian teams, with Auqib Nabi awarded his first Test selection for the upcoming series in Sri Lanka, according to a report published on August 6, 2026.

Cricket’s growth in India since the inception of the Indian Premier League has widened the pool of talent beyond traditional centres such as Mumbai, Delhi and Bengaluru, and smaller cities have produced notable players. Jammu & Kashmir has a sustained presence in Indian cricket and secured its first Ranji Trophy title in February 2026; several cricketers from the region have also featured in the IPL.

Parvez Rasool, born in Bijbehara, Jammu and Kashmir, was the first player from the region to represent India in international white-ball cricket. Rasool made his ODI debut against Bangladesh in Mirpur in June 2014, returning figures of 2/60, and later played a single T20I against England in 2017, taking 1/32. He announced his retirement from all forms of cricket in October 2025.

Umran Malik emerged on the national radar through his pace in the Indian Premier League, bowling consistently over 150 km/h after joining Sunrisers Hyderabad as a net bowler and progressing to the playing XI. His performances in the 2022 IPL led to selection for India, during which he clocked 157 km/h in that season; in 2023 he recorded the fastest delivery (155 km/h) attributed to an Indian bowler. Umran has played 10 ODIs and 8 T20Is for India, taking 24 wickets.

Auqib Nabi Dar, aged 29, has received his maiden India call and will be part of the squad for the upcoming Test series in Sri Lanka. Nabi has been among the top wicket-takers in the Ranji Trophy and contributed to Jammu & Kashmir’s first Ranji Trophy triumph by taking 60 wickets. He featured for India A in two unofficial Tests against Sri Lanka A prior to this senior call-up.

Of the three, Parvez Rasool and Umran Malik have represented India at senior international level, while Auqib Nabi’s selection constitutes his first call to the senior Test squad. Nabi has been named as a replacement for injured Jasprit Bumrah.

Auqib Nabi is set to join the senior Indian team in Sri Lanka as Jasprit Bumrah’s replacement for the upcoming Test series, completing the immediate next step outlined in the selection notice.