Former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar didn’t mince his words as he lashed out at the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee for ignoring Jammu and Kashmir pacer Auqib Nabi for the upcoming one-off Test against Afghanistan. The 29-year-old has been in sensational form in the Ranji Trophy over the last two seasons, and his performance in the 2025-26 season even helped the side win the premier domestic competition for the first time.
In the 2025-26 season, Nabi finished as the leading wicket-taker, scalping 60 wickets in 17 innings at an average of 12.65 and was named Player of the Tournament. If the last two Ranji Trophy seasons are to be considered, he has claimed 104 wickets.
Manjrekar labelled the decision of snubbing Auqib as “ridiculous”, saying the Ranji Trophy should be scrapped if the selectors continue to ignore proven performers.
“I used to like the olden days when tremendous injustice was done. People would come out on the streets with placards and protests. Now the outcry is mostly on social media, but this is one non-selection that I just can’t understand,” Manjrekar said on Sporstar’s Insight Edge Podcast.
“It’s actually ridiculous. When Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj are not playing, whether because they are being rested or for long-term planning, then you might as well not have the Ranji Trophy if performances like these are going to be ignored,” he added.
‘Beyond me’
For the match against Afghanistan, India have decided to rest Jasprit Bumrah and the pace attack is expected to be led by Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna. Manjrekar said he would have understood Nabi’s exclusion if Siraj, Bumrah and Mohammed Shami had been available.
“It was an incredible story for Indian cricket, Jammu and Kashmir winning the Ranji Trophy, and this was the guy who almost single-handedly got them to the title,” he said. “It was a no-brainer, and it’s really sad that he isn’t there,” said the former Indian batter.
“I can understand if the seam-bowling spots were taken by Jasprit Bumrah, Siraj and Shami, and Nabi couldn’t find a place. But this is beyond me. It’s not a good cricketing decision because when you compare his record with some of the others in the squad, tremendous injustice has been done,” he added.
Speaking of Nabi, he first came to light as a red-ball specialist, but the last few seasons have seen massive growth in his white-ball game as well. He took 15 wickets in seven matches during the 2025 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and this performance also got rewarded at the IPL 2026 auction, where Delhi Capitals signed him for Rs. 8.40 crore.
