J&K and Delhi Capitals pacer Aquib Nabi Dar is set to replace Jasprit Bumrah, who has been ruled out of the upcoming Test match series against Sri Lanka starting from August 15. The news was confirmed to myKhel by sources who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Earlier, Bumrah was ruled out of the squad due to a recurrent injury to his left knee, due to which he has been sidelined. The BCCI has been keen not to rush his injury and gave the Indian pacer adequate time to come back.
Jasprit Bumrah last featured in a Test for India during the November 2025 series against South Africa in Guwahati. His absence from the upcoming Sri Lanka series is expected to leave a significant void in India’s bowling attack.
With the selectors likely to name his replacement in the coming days, Delhi Capitals pacer Auqib Nabi Dar has emerged as a strong contender. The 29-year-old is reportedly the frontrunner to take Bumrah’s place in India’s squad for the series.
Auqib Nabi Dar: First Class Cricket Stats
Auqib Nabi Dar, who is yet to make his India debut, has built a strong reputation through his performances in domestic cricket. The Jammu and Kashmir pacer was the leading wicket-taker in the 2025-26 Ranji Trophy, claiming 162 wickets in 43 First-Class matches overall.
His contributions were crucial as Jammu and Kashmir secured their maiden Ranji Trophy title, further strengthening his case for a national call-up.
Auqib Nabi Dar – Bowling Stats
| Format | Matches | Innings | Wickets | Best | Bowling Avg. | Economy | 5W | 10W |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First-Class | 43 | 71 | 162 | 7/24 | 18.63 | 2.90 | 16 | 4 |
| List A | 36 | 36 | 56 | 4/39 | 27.37 | 5.20 | 0 | 0 |
| T20s | 39 | 39 | 43 | 4/16 | 25.27 | 8.10 | 0 | 0 |
Auqib Nabi Dar – Batting Stats
| Format | Matches | Innings | Runs | Best | Average | Strike Rate | 100s | 50s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First-Class | 43 | 58 | 999 | 55 | 18.84 | 56.37 | 0 | 2 |
| List A | 36 | 30 | 572 | 114* | 27.23 | 111.71 | 1 | 0 |
| T20s | 39 | 19 | 155 | 32 | 11.07 | 113.97 | 0 | 0 |
The 29-year-old pacer who hails from Baramulla has 162 wickets to his name in 43 first-class matches so far. Auqib travelled to Sri Lanka last month with the India A team and played both first-class matches against Sri Lanka A. In four innings across two matches in Galle (where India is set to play its test matches), he picked up six wickets. This includes remarkable figures of 4/58 in the first innings of the first match.