In the vast valley of Kashmir, the weather changes fast. And if we are to compare the cricketing landscape of the heavenly place, it is changing rapidly as well, for the good.
As the Duleep Trophy continues, as many as five players have been called up from Jammu and Kashmir to represent North Zone. And after the quarterfinals, it is Baramulla’s Auqib Nabi in focus.
Auqib Nabi, the soft-spoken star pacer from Baramulla etched his name in the history books against East Zone, when he picked up four wickets in four deliveries. North Zone beat the Easterners with ease, and a much assured Auqib Nabi spoke with MyKhel after his fantastic outing.
Auqib spoke to us last November, when we met him at a Navi Mumbai hotel lobby, amid the Mushtaq Ali Trophy. The pacer was the highest wicket taker among the pacers in Ranji Trophy, and was a bit sad as he was not even mentioned in the IPL auction.
But as Auqib speaks now, it feels the weather has really changed. The current avatar of Auqib is much more firm, assured and looks nonchalant for the proceedings which he can’t control.
“My focus is to do well in the next match. I don’t think much about the future. I’m just enjoying my cricket. Because if you think about the future, you put extra pressure on yourself. I don’t want to do that.”
A North Zone team which had the likes of Harshit Rana and Arshdeep Singh, it was Auqib who stole the eyes with his stellar display. And the player says his main aim has always been to bowl in the right channels. Amid the new season and new challenges, the pacer has stuck to the basics to yield the results.
“I was confident that I would do well. So it happened. As they say, if you think well, you will do well. It happened with me too. I bowled just in good channels. And the result was in front of you. I hope it will be a good match with South Zone. They have a good team and it will be a good match.”
Although Auqib’s bowling plaudits have been the talk of the match, the Kashmir player also had a productive outing with the bat. He scored a quickfire 44 off just 33 balls, demonstrating his hitting ability as well. And it is not just a magic, as the player confirms of long batting sessions to sharpen the skill as a pace-bowling all-rounder.
“I am trying to become one (all-rounder) as I work a lot in batting. Hopefully, it will keep on improving as I practice more.”
As the North Zone take on the Southern boys, Auqib’s responsibility will grow manyfold as both Harshit Rana and Arshdeep Singh have flown for Asia Cup participation. He heaped praises on his bowling partners and was ecstatic with the time they shared together in this competition.
India will play two home Test series against West Indies and South Africa, and the selectors are ought to have an eye on Auqib Nabi. And the player says ‘I always have the India dream’, but for now, the Baramulla boy wants to concentrate on the next match.