Auqib Nabi Replaces Injured Jasprit Bumrah in India's Test Squad for Sri Lanka Series

Jammu and Kashmir fast bowler Auqib Nabi has earned his maiden call-up to India's senior Test team after being named as the replacement for injured pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah for the upcoming two-match Test series against Sri Lanka.

The Men's Selection Committee announced Nabi's inclusion after Bumrah was ruled out of the series, having failed to fully recover from the left knee injury he sustained during the ODI series against England. The setback comes as India continue to battle multiple injury concerns ahead of the important Test assignment.

The 27-year-old pacer has been rewarded for his exceptional domestic performances. Nabi claimed 104 wickets across the last two Ranji Trophy seasons, including 60 wickets in the 2025-26 campaign, playing a crucial role in Jammu and Kashmir's maiden Ranji Trophy title. He further strengthened his credentials during India A's recent tour of Sri Lanka, where he picked up six wickets in two first-class matches.

Nabi boasts an impressive first-class record, having taken 162 wickets in 43 matches at an outstanding average of 18.63 and a strike rate of 38.5. His tally includes 16 five-wicket hauls and four 10-wicket match hauls, underlining his consistency in red-ball cricket.

India's injury list has also sidelined Harshit Rana (hamstring), Nitish Kumar Reddy (quadriceps), and Washington Sundar, who will miss the first Test with a hamstring injury. Fast bowler Akash Deep remains unavailable as he recovers from stress reactions in his back, while Sai Sudharsan has been retained in the squad subject to fitness clearance.

The first Test will be played at the Galle International Stadium from August 15, followed by the second Test at the Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC), Colombo, from August 23. The series is part of the ICC World Test Championship 2025-27, with Shubman Gill-led India currently placed fifth in the standings, having registered four wins and four losses from nine matches for a Points Percentage (PCT) of 48.150.

India's updated squad:

Shubman Gill (Captain), KL Rahul (Vice-Captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant (WK), Sai Sudharsan (subject to fitness), Dhruv Jurel (WK), Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Manav Suthar, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Gurnoor Brar, Devdutt Padikkal, Saransh Jain and Auqib Nabi.*