New Delhi, September 2: Recently selected for the Indian national team, fast bowler Aaqib Nabi has joined the English county team Surrey for the County Championship, where he will play three matches.
The 29-year-old has made a name for himself in Indian domestic cricket with an impressive performance in the Ranji Trophy, taking 60 wickets and helping Jammu and Kashmir secure their first title.
Nabi will compete in upcoming matches against Yorkshire, Sussex, and Glamorgan. Reports indicated on August 28 that he was likely to join Surrey and participate in the County Championship.
His stint with Surrey kicks off today, September 2, with a match against Yorkshire at The Oval. Following this, he will face Sussex and Glamorgan on September 8 and 15, respectively, at Hove and The Oval.
A source familiar with the situation informed that Aaqib has received his visa to travel to England after completing all necessary paperwork. It is expected that he will depart from New Delhi today. If everything goes smoothly, he should be available for the match starting on September 2. The main objective of this tour is for the management and selectors to assess Nabi’s ability to swing the ball effectively in England, as he will need to adapt to the red Kookaburra ball in favorable conditions for the upcoming Test series against New Zealand.
Nabi was selected as a replacement for the injured Jasprit Bumrah for the Test series against Sri Lanka, although he did not get a chance to debut, as India opted for two fast bowlers in both matches. While he plays in English county cricket, it is hoped that he will return in time for the India-A matches against Australia-A, which begin on September 22.
Expressing his excitement about joining Surrey, Aaqib Nabi stated, “It is an honor to join Surrey, one of the best clubs in England. I am eager to learn from this group and contribute in the next three matches.”
Surrey’s Director of Men’s Cricket, Alec Stewart, commented, “With a challenging schedule of six matches in six weeks and limited recovery time between games, along with international fixtures, we needed to bolster our bowling options for the final rounds of the County Championship. We are excited to welcome Aaqib to the squad this week.”
Nabi has excelled in the last two Ranji Trophy seasons, taking 100 wickets. He made headlines in 2025 when he took four wickets in four balls while playing for the North Zone in the Duleep Trophy. In 2026, he was signed by Delhi Capitals, where he played five matches for the franchise.