BCCI explores England county stint for pacer Auqib Nabi ahead of New Zealand tour

The BCCI is in talks with English counties to secure a short-term contract for pacer Auqib Nabi, who claimed 60 Ranji Trophy wickets last season. The move is aimed at giving him valuable red-ball exposure ahead of India’s Test tour of New Zealand

New Delhi: Keeping an eye on India’s next Test tour of New Zealand, the BCCI is in talks with a few English counties to get a short-term contract for talented pacer Auqib Nabi during the final few rounds of the Championship.

Nabi, last Ranji season’s highest wicket-taker with 60 scalps, and Gurnoor Brar didn’t get a look-in in the playing XI for the two Tests against Sri Lanka recently.

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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 playing eleven and Gurnoor will replace Sunil Kumar. So, 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 conditions of anonymity.

It is believed that Surrey is looking for a swing bowler and there has 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 BCCI.

“While conditions are slightly different in New Zealand, but Auqib certainly will be in the scheme of things. So, a couple of games won’t be bad for him while Gurnoor plays the Duleep Trophy. The BCCI is trying to get his UK visa and upon arrival, he might leave for 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.