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IPL 2026: Who’s the RCB pacer Auqib Nabi needs to emulate on his debut for Delhi Capitals

Star J&K seamer had a landmark Ranji season and now aims to help his franchise win its maiden title.

4 min readMumbaiMar 31, 2026 08:47 PM IST

Jammu and Kashmir's Auqib Nabi celebrates during the third day of the Ranji Trophy semifinal match between Bengal and Jammu and Kashmir at the Bengal Cricket Academy Ground, in Kalyani, West Bengal. (PTI Photo)

Ahead of Delhi Capitals’ IPL 2026 opener on Wednesday, Auqib Nabi will need to recall how his last Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy T20 outing for Jammu and Kashmir fetched him 15 wickets at an economy rate 7 runs per over. At the 50-over Vijay Hazare Trophy, his economy was 5, while he was the hero of the historic Ranji Trophy triumph.

“Keep it simple,” is the advice to the Baramulla pacer from J&K bowling coach P Krishna Kumar, ahead of his anticipated debut against Lucknow Super Giants on Wednesday, asking him to disregard the IPL hype.

Kumar urges the mild-mannered soft-spoken bowler to follow the template set by Bhuvaneshwar Kumar. It’s mostly because both swing the ball, but also have calm temperaments.

“Bhuvi is perhaps the best bowler in the later stages and with the new ball. He’s rarely hit by batsmen, because he swings the ball. Nabi up front has one of the best yorkers,” the coach says. “Bhuvi’s the guy to follow.”

Auqib Nabi became the third fastest bowler to 60 wickets in a season in the Ranji Trophy’s 92-year history. (PTI Photo)

The disciplined J&K bowler has been delivering at the start as well as the end of innings. He uses swing to get early breakthroughs and can bowl yorkers effortlessly at the death.

In a media interaction ahead of the first game, Auqib spoke about improving one half of this requirement. “I won’t say it’s challenging, but I definitely need to improve my bowling at the death,” he said, adding that with his focus on red-ball cricket most season, white-ball nuances needed re-acquainting.

Through the white-ball part of the season, Aquib had stuck to the basic grammar. “small moments often decide big games in T20 cricket,” he would stress.

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His state bowling coach would agree. “T20 bowling is about 24 balls, and it’s one delivery at a time,” Krishna would say.

“If you bowl a brilliant ball and the batsman still hits it for six, you have to move on,” he urges, aware that the batters’ skill in the IPL is higher than in Ranji Trophy cricket. “The skill in the IPL is obviously going to be better. But you have to remember they are humans, they will make mistakes too.”

Role model

For someone who has modelled his action and bowling style watching Dale Steyn and Mohammed Shami, it’s the quietly deceptive Bhuvi who offers the way forward in a format where he will be expected to deliver results in a much shorter time frame.

Also Read | ‘He will take wickets up top’: Why Auqib Nabi’s IPL debut could be his ticket to India

Despite his herculean effort in helping J&K win their first Ranji Trophy title, the IPL provides a shinier platform for Auqib to get noticed. For the 29-year-old, the goals are straightforward.

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“I’ll focus on my own preparation. Not go beyond my strengths – that’s swinging the ball both ways – and try to win the first trophy for Delhi Capitals,” he would say. Forget other teams, support Delhi, he asks fans.

Auqib is also a handy batter. “It’s good for a team if a bowler can bowl four overs and score some runs,” he says.

Auqib Nabi Dar in express mode 🚅😮‍💨 pic.twitter.com/XEQkAW8qxv

— Delhi Capitals (@DelhiCapitals) March 26, 2026

There are no prized scalps he’s targeting. “Each wicket will be important for the team,” Auqib said.

In the course of two seasons for J&K, he’s also worked on his mindset, learning not to get desperate about selection. “Earlier, I used to think too much about results. Now it’s the process,” he says. His IPL team could do with Auqib’s unclouded confidence. “I don’t think Delhi are underdogs. They are a pretty balanced side,” he insists.

Auqib has struck a rapport with DC bowling coach Munaf Patel. “He’s a chill coach. He says ‘stick to routine, bowl just like domestic cricket, and stay positive.’ We haven’t worked too much on technical skills till now. I had a good Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy so have a good chance of doing well in the IPL,” he says.

Shivani Naik

Shivani Naik is a senior sports journalist and Assistant Editor at The Indian Express. She is widely considered one of the leading voices in Indian Olympic sports journalism, particularly known for her deep expertise in badminton, wrestling, and basketball. Professional Profile Role: Assistant Editor and Columnist at The Indian Express. Specialization: While she covers a variety of sports, she is the primary authority on badminton for the publication. She also writes extensively about tennis, track and field, wrestling, and gymnastics. Writing Style: Her work is characterized by "technical storytelling"—breaking down the biomechanics, tactics, and psychological grit of athletes. She often provides "long reads" that explore the personal journeys of athletes beyond the podium. Key Topics & Recent Coverage (Late 2025) Shivani Naik’s recent articles (as of December 2025) focus on the evolving landscape of Indian sports as athletes prepare for the 2026 Asian Games and beyond: Indian Badminton's "Hulks": She has recently written about a new generation of Indian shuttlers characterized by power and physicality, such as Ayush Shetty and Sathish Karunakaran, marking a shift from the traditionally finesse-based Indian style. PV Sindhu’s Resurgence: A significant portion of her late-2025 work tracks PV Sindhu’s tactical shifts under new coaching, focusing on her "sparkle" and technical tweaks to break out of career slumps. The "Group of Death": In December 2025, she provided detailed tactical previews for Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty’s campaign in the BWF World Tour Finals. Tactical Deep Dives: She frequently explores technical trends, such as the rise of "backhand deception" in modern badminton and the importance of court drift management in international arenas. Legacy and History: She often revisits the careers of legends like Saina Nehwal and Syed Modi, providing historical context to current Indian successes. Notable Recent Articles BWF World Tour Finals: Satwik-Chirag have it all to do to get through proverbial Group of Death. (Dec 2025) The age of Hulks in Indian badminton is here. (Dec 2025) Treadmill, Yoganidra and building endurance: The themes that defined the resurgence of Gayatri and Treesa. (Dec 2025) Ayush Shetty beats Kodai Naraoka: Will 20-year-old be the headline act in 2026? (Nov 2025) Modern Cinderella tale – featuring An Se-young and a shoe that fits snugly. (Nov 2025) Other Sports Interests Beyond the court, Shivani is a passionate follower of South African cricket, sometimes writing emotional columns about her irrational support for the Proteas, which started because of love for Graeme Smith's dour and doughty Test playing style despite being a left-hander, and sustained over curiosity over their heartbreaking habit of losing ICC knockouts. You can follow her detailed analysis and columns on her official Indian Express profile page. ... Read More

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