Born on November 4, 1996, in Baramulla, Jammu and Kashmir, Auqib Nabi has turned out to be one of the brightest stars in Indian domestic cricket. A right-handed batter and right-arm medium-fast bowler, Auqib has been associated with the Jammu & Kashmir cricket team for more than a decade, gradually rising through the ranks with consistent performances. Early Journey and First-Class Debut Auqib began his cricket career with tennis-ball cricket and then shifted to leather-ball cricket. He was motivated by one of his friends to audition for the Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA). Even though he was rejected at first, he applied himself and got selected for the Under-19 team a year later, which became a turning point in his career. He said: "It was the best moment for me, representing my state at the national level. After that, I never looked back. In 2019, I made my senior team debut against Jharkhand, taking five wickets in that match. Performing on such a big stage was an incredible feeling." Auqib's first-class debut came in the 2019-20 Ranji Trophy, beginning with a five-wicket haul against Jharkhand, which made him a star right from the beginning. Since then, he has been a consistent performer in Ranji Trophy, Vijay Hazare Trophy, Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, and the Col C.K. Nayudu Trophy for Under-23 players. Also Read | IND vs PAK Asia Cup 2025 Tickets Hit Record Black Market Prices Record-Breaking Ranji Trophy Season Auqib has been in top gear this Ranji Trophy season, grabbing 44 wickets, the most by a pacer during this season, with six five-wicket hauls. He also broke the record for the most wickets in a season for a Jammu & Kashmir bowler, breaking the record held by Parvez Rasool. Despite his amazing performances, Auqib went unsold at the IPL auction, a circumstance that has left numerous cricket followers and specialists in surprise. In FC Cricket, he has played 29 games, aggregating 670 runs at a batting average of 17.63 and a strike rate of 50.87. With the ball, he has taken 90 wickets at 22.12 at an economy of 2.98. In 29 List A matches, Auqib has bagged 42 wickets while in T20s, he has picked up 28 wickets in 27 matches. Auqib Creates History in Duleep Trophy 2025 In the 2025-26 Duleep Trophy playing North Zone vs. East Zone at Bengaluru CEC, Auqib became the first player in the tournament's 64-year history to take four wickets in four balls. He also became a part of that exclusive list of Indian bowlers to have done this in first-class cricket. Also Read | What First Class Cricket Means : Its Origin and History Players to Claim a Hat-Trick in Duleep Trophy Player Team Against Year Venue Auqib Nabi North Zone East Zone 2025 BCCI CEG, Bengaluru Kapil Dev North Zone West Zone 1978 Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi Sairaj Bahutule West Zone East Zone 2001 Nehru Stadium, Pune Indian Players to Take Four Wickets in Four Balls in FC Cricket Player Team Against Year Venue Tournament S Saini Delhi Himachal Pradesh 1988-89 Delhi Ranji Trophy M Mudhasir Jammu & Kashmir Rajasthan 2018-19 Jaipur Ranji Trophy Kulwant Khejrolia Madhya Pradesh Baroda 2023-24 Indore Ranji Trophy Auqib Nabi North Zone East Zone 2025-26 Bengaluru Duleep Trophy Inspiration and Goals Auqib draws inspiration from South African great Dale Steyn. He said: "Steyn’s bowling action, top speed, and aggression have always fascinated me. Just as he represented his country at the highest level, I aspire to do the same for my state and my nation. I am working tirelessly to achieve that dream." With his speed, precision, and pressure-handling skills, Auqib Nabi has emerged as a ray of hope for Jammu & Kashmir cricket and a name to watch for in Indian cricket.