With a base price of just ₹30 lakh, Auqib Nabi’s leap to a multi-crore IPL contract highlights his rapid rise in domestic cricket.
BY PC Bureau
December 16, 2025 : Jammu & Kashmir fast bowler Auqib Nabi announced his arrival on Indian cricket’s biggest commercial stage on Tuesday night, as he was snapped up by Delhi Capitals for a staggering ₹8.40 crore at the IPL 2026 auction in Abu Dhabi, despite carrying a modest base price of ₹30 lakh. The dramatic escalation in bids — involving Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Sunrisers Hyderabad — underlined how rapidly the 23-year-old has risen in domestic cricket over the past year.
From Kashmir’s Lanes to the IPL Spotlight
Born and raised in Jammu & Kashmir, Auqib Nabi’s journey mirrors that of a new generation of cricketers emerging from regions long considered peripheral to India’s mainstream cricketing ecosystem. A right-arm fast bowler with natural bounce and late seam movement, Nabi came through the J&K domestic system, steadily working his way up through age-group and senior state cricket.
In recent seasons, he has become the spearhead of Jammu & Kashmir’s pace attack, standing out for his ability to extract movement even on placid surfaces and his growing confidence with the old ball.
A big break for #AuqibNabi! 👏🏻🤩
After serious performances in domestic circuit, the Jammu & Kashmir seamer heads to @DelhiCapitals after securing a ₹8.40 Cr deal at the TATA IPL Auction 2026! 🙌🏻#TATAIPLAuction2026 | LIVE NOW 👉 https://t.co/NZ92stKxPU pic.twitter.com/6583gxtPs4
— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) December 16, 2025
Breakthrough Season in Domestic Cricket
Auqib’s breakthrough moment arrived during the 2025 Duleep Trophy, where he represented North Zone and caught national attention with his consistency and aggression. His five-wicket haul against East Zone in the quarterfinal at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru was a defining performance, showcasing his ability to trouble established domestic batters with pace, control, and an incisive length.
Selectors and scouts took note not just of the wickets, but of his temperament — calm under pressure, disciplined in long spells, and tactically astute in setting batters up.
Across formats, Auqib has built a reputation as a new-ball enforcer who can also return for effective middle-overs spells, a skillset that IPL franchises increasingly value.
What Makes Auqib Nabi Stand Out?
What sets Auqib apart is not express pace alone, but a combination of attributes:
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Sharp seam movement at speeds in the high 130s kmph
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Natural bounce generated from a strong wrist position
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Ability to swing the ball early and hit the deck hard
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Improving death-over skills, including a well-disguised slower delivery
Coaches who have worked with him describe him as a quick learner with a strong work ethic, someone who has adapted rapidly to higher levels of competition.
The Auction Frenzy
At the IPL 2026 auction, Auqib Nabi quickly became one of the surprise packages of the day. Starting at ₹30 lakh, bidding intensified as franchises looked to secure Indian fast-bowling depth. Delhi Capitals, led by Axar Patel, eventually outlasted RCB and SRH, pushing the price to ₹8.40 crore — one of the biggest jumps from base price at the auction.
For Delhi, the investment reflects both present belief and future planning, with the franchise keen to bolster its Indian pace resources in the post-mega-auction cycle.
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A New Chapter for J&K Cricket
Auqib Nabi’s IPL deal is also significant beyond individual success. It marks another milestone for Jammu & Kashmir cricket, reinforcing the region’s growing footprint in India’s domestic and franchise circuits. His rise follows a broader trend of increased scouting in non-traditional centres, where raw pace and hunger are being converted into elite-level prospects.
As Auqib prepares to don Delhi Capitals colours, the challenge will be translating domestic promise into IPL consistency — adapting to high-pressure situations, world-class batters, and unforgiving scrutiny. But for a bowler who has already beaten the odds to reach this stage, the moment feels less like an arrival and more like the beginning of a much larger journey.
From the valleys of Kashmir to the IPL’s global stage, Auqib Nabi’s story is one of perseverance, performance, and possibility — and Indian cricket will be watching closely.
