New Delhi: Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan believes Jammu and Kashmir pacer Auqib Nabi’s greatest strength lies in his ability to force top-quality batters into mistakes while defending rather than relying on sheer pace, a quality that could help him succeed at the international level.
Nabi earned his maiden India call-up on Monday after being named as Jasprit Bumrah’s replacement for the upcoming two-Test series against Sri Lanka, starting on August 15.
Having first identified Nabi’s talent during selection trials in Srinagar in 2018, Pathan has closely followed the fast bowler’s development. He said Nabi’s natural bowling action, upright seam position and ability to generate movement make him an effective bowler despite not being among the fastest.
“The ideal pace to move the ball is around 135 kmph. If you can generate swing, especially late swing, that is enough. With his rhythm and action, Auqib can consistently bowl between 133 and 135 kmph,” Pathan said.
According to Pathan, a bowler’s true quality is measured not by speed alone but by the ability to dismiss accomplished batters even when they are playing defensively.
“The real question is whether a bowler can get top-quality batters out while they are defending. That is the quality you look for,” he said.
Pathan pointed to Nabi’s performances in domestic cricket, particularly during Jammu and Kashmir’s historic Ranji Trophy triumph earlier this year, where he consistently troubled experienced batters.
“In the Ranji Trophy final, he caused problems for KL Rahul despite not picking up a wicket against him. Even then, the way he made batters defend showed his quality,” Pathan said.
He also recalled watching Nabi trouble established Indian players during matches in Mumbai.
“I saw him dismiss players like Shreyas and other current India cricketers in a similar manner. When top batters are getting out while defending on different pitches, it proves he has the ability,” he added.
Pathan acknowledged that Test cricket would present a far tougher examination, especially on batting-friendly pitches where bowlers must find additional ways to create opportunities.
“When you play Test cricket, the challenge becomes much bigger because sometimes you get the flattest pitches. Then you need something extra. Can he use different angles? Can he bring the wicketkeeper up? Ultimately, it all comes down to performance,” he said.
Drawing from his own experience, Pathan stressed that success in international cricket does not depend solely on express pace.
“I took 301 international wickets without bowling at 150 kmph. My strength was deceiving batters and trapping them before they realised the ball would move in,” he said.
