Jammu & Kashmir fast bowler Auqib Nabi is likely to turn out for English county side Surrey for a brief stint in the ongoing County Championship Division One season.
The Indian team management and national selectors are keen on providing Nabi exposure to seamer-friendly conditions and the red Kookaburra ball, keeping in mind the upcoming Test tour of New Zealand. Right now, Surrey has India leg-spinner Rahul Chahar and uncapped batting all-rounder Mahipal Lomror in their squad. Nabi, who finished as the leading wicket-taker in the last Ranji Trophy season with 60 wickets at an average of 12.56 to lead J&K to their maiden championship triumph, is expected to be available for Surrey’s upcoming fixture against Yorkshire, starting on September 2 at The Oval. Left-arm spinner Manav Suthar, who picked 16 wickets in Sri Lanka, is rejoining Warwickshire, while left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav will return to turn out for Yorkshire. Once his county championship stint is over, Nabi is expected to link up with the India ‘A’ squad for two red-ball matches against Australia in Puducherry, starting from September 22. Both Shami and Mukesh are currently turning out for East Zone in the ongoing Duleep Trophy semi-final against defending champions Central Zone at the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE) Ground 1 in Bengaluru.
“The main purpose of this stint is also for the Indian team management and selectors to check if Nabi can swing the ball well there in England, as the climate in New Zealand for the Test series will need for him to do that in conducive conditions with the red Kookaburra ball in hand,” a source familiar with the development told IANS on Sunday. “The full details are yet to be known, but there’s a possibility they might play there,” added another source.
