Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: As Jammu and Kashmir prepare for their maiden Ranji Trophy final against Karnataka in Hubbali, fast-bowling spearhead Auqib Nabi remains the calmest presence in a dressing room filled with nerves. The pacer from Sheeri village in Baramulla has been the driving force behind J&K’s dream run this season.When J&K step onto the field on Tuesday, expectations will once again rest on Nabi’s shoulders. He has taken 55 wickets from nine matches this season — the second-highest tally — at a remarkable average of 12.72. Bowling coach P. Krishnakumar reflected on the shy pacer’s rise into a dominant force.
“If you look at his record, he has got 199 wickets in 40 games. I have been with him for the last three years and he has taken 99 wickets in the last two seasons. In this season, he’s taken 50-plus wickets so far and that shows his skill level has gone to a different level now because he knows how to move the ball, bowl on different pitches and against different batters. So it’s not a one-day process – it took almost one year to develop it and it began in the first year when I came into the Jammu & Kashmir team,” said Krishnakumar to IANS.A fan of Dale Steyn, Nabi made his Ranji debut in 2020 but has flourished in the past two seasons. Krishnakumar credited his bowling action as the foundation of his success.“You see, he has a very, very good action… If you compare and look at it from a biomechanical perspective, his action is perfect… With the swing and seam he has, it becomes very difficult for the batters to get runs against Auqib.”The transformation required relentless effort.“The first year of me being with him, it was all about the process… He bowled a thousand balls in the first year to develop his skills, master his wrist position, and his backspin… it took almost one year to change him,” he said.Nabi’s nine-wicket haul against Bengal in the semi-final, alongside a crucial 42 with the bat, underlined his all-round impact. He also produced career-best figures of 7-24 against Rajasthan and played key roles against Delhi.“Auqib has been fantastic because taking 99 wickets in the last two seasons is unbelievable… I am sure that he will definitely get a nod in some upcoming Test series,” Krishnakumar said.Calling for national recognition, he added, “As a coach, I feel that he should be given a chance when he is performing… Taking almost 100 wickets in two years – what do you want as a player?… If somebody is performing there, I think they should definitely get into the team.”With Karnataka’s star-studded batting line-up awaiting in the final, Krishnakumar believes the occasion will not change Nabi.“The best part about Nabi is, he’s very calm in his mind… If he takes a six-wicket haul, he’s still the same and that is very important,” he said.For Nabi, who once trained without proper facilities, the final is another step in an extraordinary journey — but his focus remains firmly on delivering glory for Jammu and Kashmir.
