Former Indian cricketer Dilip Vengsarkar has strongly criticised the Board of Control for Cricket in India and selectors after Jammu and Kashmir pacer Auqib Nabi was excluded from India’s squad for the one-off Test against Afghanistan despite a sensational domestic season.
Nabi, who picked up 60 wickets in 10 matches during the 2025-26 Ranji Trophy season, failed to find a place in the 15-member squad announced earlier this week. The omission has triggered criticism from several former cricketers, with Vengsarkar calling the decision “absurd and baffling”.
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Speaking to the Times of India, the former India chief selector questioned the relevance of domestic cricket if consistent performances in the Ranji Trophy are not rewarded with national selection. “What kind of selection is this? It is just not acceptable. It is an injustice. If domestic cricket performances are not a criterion, then the BCCI should scrap domestic cricket,” Vengsarkar said.
Nabi has emerged as one of the standout performers in Indian domestic cricket over the past two seasons. Since making his first-class debut in 2020, the pacer has claimed 156 wickets in 41 matches, including 104 wickets in the last two seasons alone. This year, he played a key role in guiding Jammu and Kashmir to their maiden Ranji Trophy title, averaging just 12.56 with the ball.
His 60-wicket haul also placed him in an elite list alongside former pacers Dodda Ganesh and Jaydev Unadkat, who previously achieved similar feats in a Ranji season. Despite the remarkable numbers, Nabi’s exclusion has reignited debate over India’s Test selection policy and the value of domestic cricket performances.
