Domestic standouts to assist India squad ahead of only the second-ever Test against Afghanistanab
India have named seven net bowlers for their upcoming Test against Afghanistan national cricket team, with domestic pace sensations Auqib Nabi and Prince Yadav among the selected group.
The net-bowling contingent also includes Gurjapneet Singh, Shivang Kumar, Saransh Jain and Zeeshan Ansari, providing India with a varied bowling attack during preparations for the one-off Test.
Prince, meanwhile, remains in contention for international action as he is also part of India’s ODI squad for the three-match series that follows the Test.
Among the selected net bowlers, Auqib Nabi’s inclusion is particularly noteworthy. The Jammu and Kashmir pacer was considered a strong contender for the Test squad after a remarkable domestic season in which he played a pivotal role in his state’s maiden Ranji Trophy triumph.
Nabi finished as the leading wicket-taker in the tournament, claiming 60 wickets at an outstanding average of 12.56 and earning the Player of the Tournament award. Despite those performances, he narrowly missed out on a place in the national squad.
Chief selector Ajit Agarkar explained that India’s squad balance influenced the decision, with the selectors opting for only three specialist seamers – Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna and Gurnoor Brar.
“You do not necessarily pick a lot of seamers when you pick a Test team in India,” Agarkar had said. “He was close, but at this point we have gone with the three that we have picked.”
The upcoming contest will be only the second Test match between India and Afghanistan. Their previous meeting came in 2018 in Bengaluru, which was also Afghanistan’s inaugural Test match. India dominated that encounter, securing victory by an innings and 262 runs inside two days.
While Nabi and the other net bowlers may not feature in the playing XI, their inclusion reflects the growing depth of India’s domestic talent pool and provides valuable exposure ahead of potential future international opportunities.
