File phot of Auqib Nabi© PTI
Keeping an eye on India’s next Test tour of New Zealand, the BCCI is in talks with a few English counties to secure a short-term contract for talented pacer Auqib Nabi during the final few rounds of the County Championship. Nabi, last Ranji season’s highest wicket-taker with 60 scalps, and Gurnoor Brar did not get a look-in in the playing XI for the two Tests against Sri Lanka recently. While Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna have earned much-needed workload-related breaks, Gurnoor Brar will be linking up with the North Zone side for the semi-final against South Zone starting November 30 at the Centre of Excellence.
“It was a decision taken by the Indian team think-tank (team management and selection committee) that Gurnoor will be playing the Duleep Trophy. Already Arshdeep (Singh) and Anshul (Kamboj) are in the playing XI, and Gurnoor will replace Sunil Kumar. So, the BCCI is looking for at least two to three red-ball games for Auqib in England, which will be handy,” a BCCI source told PTI on condition of anonymity.
It is believed that Surrey is looking for a swing bowler, and there have been some talks about Nabi getting to play a few matches at the elite London-based county club.
It is understood that former England skipper Alec Stewart, who is also the head honcho of Surrey, has been in talks with relevant people in the BCCI.
“While conditions are slightly different in New Zealand, Auqib certainly will be in the scheme of things. So, a couple of games will not be bad for him while Gurnoor plays the Duleep Trophy. The BCCI is trying to get his UK visa, and upon approval, he might leave for the UK,” the source added.
Already, Manav Suthar has played two games for Warwickshire, while Kuldeep Yadav is back in England for Yorkshire’s red-ball games. Ashutosh Sharma played in the Royal London One-Day Cup for Middlesex.
R. Sai Kishore is also playing for Gloucestershire.
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