Pacer Auqib Nabi of Jammu and Kashmir revealed his thoughts from his talks with Irfan Pathan, a former all-rounder for India, whose advice he still much values. Nabi, who has already claimed 17 wickets in the 2025–26 season, including two five-wicket hauls, has continued exactly where he left off last year.
Despite the fact that he did not instantly receive favorable results, the Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA) remained supportive. In a letter to the JKCA during his time as a player-turned-mentor with J&K, Irfan Pathan urged them to support Nabi’s growth, and it appears that his request is now being heard.
I was an outswing bowler when I first started. It occurred to me then that I also needed to improve on inswing. My inswing got better while I was doing this, but I lost my outswing. After a few more seasons, I came to the conclusion that things couldn’t continue in this manner. In both directions, I had to move the ball. I began practicing the location of my wrists and the appropriate length to strike. I’ve been keeping things simple for the last one to two years, to be honest. I’m able to manage both swings now. The Times of India cited Nabi as saying, “That’s why I’m getting more wickets.”
Irfan Pathan joined us when I made my Ranji Trophy debut.
“There were no bowling coaches available when I began playing age-group cricket. I had no teachers, not even as a child. He provided me with several helpful bowling suggestions. It was he who initially instructed me to work on my wrist without making any changes. Following his departure, we were left without a bowling coach. We had to fend for ourselves. We have got P. Krishna Kumar as our bowling coach for the last two years. He continued, “I got a lot of help after he came, and it’s showing in my bowling.”
Nabi has already taken down a number of well-known opponents in his current campaign, including centurion Siddhesh Lad, Sarfaraz Khan, Ajinkya Rahane, and Musheer Khan twice. He achieved a ten-wicket match haul against Rajasthan after a devastating performance in which he took 7 for 24 in the second innings. He dismissed all six of Rajasthan’s top players in his blazing opening burst.
India
