In brief
Auqib Nabi Dar of Baramulla has become the first cricketer from Jammu‑Kashmir to earn a place in India’s Test squad, a historic moment for a region battered by conflict and limited sports infrastructure. Growing up in a village with scarce facilities, he persevered, travelling 70 km to train on better pitches and eventually catching the eye of selectors. After a series of strong performances in the Ranji Trophy, including a 60‑wicket haul that helped his team win their first title, he secured an IPL contract with Delhi Capitals. The Indian national selectors, after a long wait, announced his call‑up to replace Jasprit Bumrah in the Sri Lanka series. His journey promises to inspire a new generation of athletes in Kashmir, proving that determination and hard work can overcome geographic and political obstacles.
In a region where conflict, heavy snowfall and aging facilities have traditionally stifled sporting ambition, a young man from Baramulla has shocked the cricketing world by earning a place in India’s Test squad. Auqib Nabi Dar, 29, has become the first player from Jammu‑Kashmir to receive an India Test call‑up.
Born into a small village, Auqib’s early love for cricket came at a time when the sport had little presence in the area. “There was no scope in cricket,” explains his father, Ghulam Nabi Dar, a schoolteacher who originally wanted his son to study medicine. Still, Auqib’s relentless pursuit of the game eventually won his father’s approval. He moved 70 kilometres to Srinagar to practice on proper pitches, a journey he undertook with no spike shoes in his first trial.
His breakthrough came in 2020 with a five‑wicket haul against Jharkhand during his Ranji Trophy debut. That season, he took 44 wickets, becoming the tournament’s leading fast bowler, but the national selectors remained silent. In 2024–25 he captured 60 wickets in ten matches, topping the leaderboard and helping Jammu‑Kashmir win their first Ranji Trophy title in 67 years. His exploits earned him an IPL contract worth 84 million rupees (about $982,000) with the Delhi Capitals, although opportunities in the league were limited.
For the former India all‑rounder Parvez Rasool, who served as Auqib’s captain, this development is far more than a personal achievement— it is a milestone that signals to Kashmir’s aspiring cricketers that they can compete at the highest level. “Playing Test cricket is the dream for any player,” Rasool says. “Seeing Auqib earn that call‑up fills me with immense pride.”
The selectors, who replaced Jasprit Bumrah in the upcoming Sri Lanka series, confirmed the appointment of the Baramulla-born all‑rounder on Monday. The move highlights the victory of perseverance over obstacles: limited infrastructure, seasonal challenges and decades of conflict. “In a way, it feels like a dream many of us in Jammu and Kashmir carried has finally been realised through him,” Rasool continues.
Now a household name in his hometown, Auqib’s father reports that people come up to him on the street, hug him and declare, “This is Auqib’s father.” The story now assigns a new role model in a region that once felt cricket was a waste of time, inspiring countless youngsters to pursue the sport with the same determination and belief that “hard work and perseverance can reach the highest level.”
