New Delhi: Eight runs to go and two wickets in hand. Auqib Nabi walked in, and cleared the ropes. The six from the Jammu and Kashmir all-rounder on his Country Championship debut was just another impressive moment for the fans in the series this year.
Playing his first match for Surrey against the arch-rival Yorkshire at The Kia Oval on Friday, Nabi smashed Ben Coad over deep mid-wicket. On the next delivery, he attempted another big hit, but was caught at mid-on, leaving the last pair of Dan Worral and Josh Blake fighting to get the remaining two runs.
After 10 dot balls, Worrall finally sliced Coad for a boundary, pulling off a dramatic one-wicket victory for Surrey while chasing 185.
Wonderful Auqib Nabi wicket 🎯🔥
— Surrey Cricket (@surreycricket) September 3, 2026
Nabi also made a mark with the ball on debut, picking up two wickets Indian spinner Kuldeep Yadav being his first wicket in Surrey colours.
The ‘Baramulla Express’
Nabi announced himself in English cricket in style. Bowling is his primary skill, but the 29-year-old has time and again proved his ability to turn games with the bat too.
Born in Jammu & Kashmir’s Baramulla, Nabi grew up with limited access to cricket facilities. He initially wanted to play football; his father wanted him to be a doctor, but his fascination with tez— fast bowling—eventually drew him towards cricket. The nearest ground from his home was more than 50 km away.
A right-arm medium-fast bowler, Nabi soon became talk of the ground with his impeccable line and length and his ability to move the ball both ways.
Auqib would travel to Srinagar for practice on proper cricket pitches. He didn’t even own a pair of spike shoes when he showed up for his first trials. But his cousin Bilal told the BBC he was relentless, getting up early to go to the gym and training all day, a routine he followed for 10 years.
A MASSIVE six from Auqib Nabi! 🎇
🤎 | #CountyChampionship pic.twitter.com/hJnnNLcNhR
— Surrey Cricket (@surreycricket) September 4, 2026
And when his chance came, he took a five-wicket haul against Jharkhand on his first-class debut in 2020. That earned him the nickname ‘Baramulla Express’.
104 wickets & historic Ranji title
Over the past two Ranji Trophy seasons, Nabi moved from a useful domestic player to becoming one of the most talked-about uncapped players in India.
In the 2024-25 season, Nabi took 44 wickets in eight games. The 2025-26 season was even more impressive. Nabi finished that season with 60 dismissals in 10 games at an enviable average of just over 12 and was the leading wicket-taker. Above all,
Nabi’s man of the tournament performance propelled Jammu and Kashmir to their first maiden Ranji Trophy title.
Nabi might have earned a reputation with his seam bowling, but His batting has steadily added a new side to his game. On 8 January 2026, during a Vijay Hazare fixture against Hyderabad in Rajkot, he walked in at No. 8 for Jammu & Kashmir, who were struggling at 90/7 against Hyderabad.
He didn’t just steady the ship—he went on a rampage, smashing an unbeaten 114 off just 82 balls, and guiding his team to a stunning victory.
He kept showing his worth in white-ball cricket. He took 15 wickets in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. Six more in the 2025 Duleep Trophy. He also played for India A, picking up six wickets during their tour of Sri Lanka this year.
The IPL debut
His consistent performances were being watched by those who matter in the cricketing world. His runs and wickets brought him an IPL contract soon. Nabi entered the auction table with a base price of 30 lakh, and Delhi Capitals bought Nabi for a whopping 8.40 crore in the 2026 auction.
But Nabi could not replicate his remarkable Ranji success in the Indian Premier League. He could not take a wicket in his four games. But just playing in the world’s biggest cricket league was a big milestone Nabi’s journey
First India Test cricketer from J&K
The home performances also took Nabi to the India A setup before he earned the biggest recognition of his career: he replaced an injured Jasprit Bumrah for the two-match series against Sri Lanka in August 2026, becoming the first cricketer from Jammu & Kashmir to be called up to India’s senior Test squad.
Auqib Nabi did not get to play in either of the two matches.
County debut
The Indian seamer was officially signed and named to the squad on September 1, 2026, for three County Championship matches.
He was brought in on a short-term deal for the final three matches of the County Championship run-in against Yorkshire, Sussex, and Glamorgan. He made his debut for the club the very next day, on September 2, 2026, against Yorkshire.
On September 4, Surrey needed eight runs from the last two wickets, and Nabi strode in and attacked Coad straight away. The six reduced the equation to two off eleven balls. He was gone the very next delivery. But Surrey won. And it was not only his bowling that caught the eye on debut.
The remaining matches would, potentially, present him another opportunity to test himself in the longer format in English conditions.
From travelling more than 50km from his home in Baramulla just to find a cricket ground to an Rs 8.4-crore IPL contract, an India call-up and now county cricket in England, Nabi’s journey has come a long way. At The Oval, even a six-and-out was another memorable chapter in the story of the ‘Baramulla Express’.
(Edited by Ajeet Tiwari)
Also read: Auqib Nabi’s Test dream began with a best friend’s timely intervention