'After Ranji Win, I Believe Bowler Auqib Nabi's Next Flight Will Be With Team India'

Back in 2016-17, we were playing a cricket match on a small ground in Baramulla district of Jammu & Kashmir. Most players in the two teams were in their twenties. My team ended up winning that match by a narrow margin of 10 runs. But, even in defeat, one batter from the opposition team stood out. He fought hard, and left us impressed with his performance. We offered him a chance to join BCC Reds, a Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association-affiliated club.The batter joined the club and played diligently day after day, and season after season. Almost a decade later, he's emerged instrumental in J&K lifting its first Ranji Trophy in almost seven decades.That batter is none other than Auqib Nabi Dar who stormed through the season with 60 wickets in 10 matches at an incredible average of 12.57.When Auqib started playing with us, he was a batting all-rounder. But over the years, he worked on his bowling and, as it turned out, his seam and swing bowling became a lethal weapon against batters. Going forward, he evolved into a bowling all-rounder.Today, his name is being chanted far beyond Baramulla, across cricketing circuits in India.His achievement is not the mark of a prodigy, but the result of his relentless hard work. He has earned this level of success through his unwavering discipline and strong work ethic.This would be a proud moment for any friend or teammate. But to us, his success feels even sweeter, because it was in the backdrop of some of the toughest conditions imaginable.Kashmir faces harsh winter conditions for three to four months, during which playing cricket becomes impossible. It also lacks infrastructure as compared to major state teams such as Delhi, Mumbai, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu. The Valley has also faced tensions for decades. To rise above all these challenges and perform at the highest level of domestic cricket not only showcases Auqib's remarkable abilities, but is an inspiration to every cricketer—whether already playing or aspiring to take up the game.More Than Cricket: J&K’s Ranji Title and the Dreams It ValidatedFor me, as his senior in the club team, this is an emotional moment. The same emotion is shared by the rest of the club members, and the people of North Kashmir. For years, no one from our region had made it to the IPL or delivered such a remarkable performance in the Ranji Trophy. Seeing one of our own rise and achieve this means everything to us.Being a cricketer myself and a coach to young kids, many parents come to me with the same question: Will this sport be good for my child's future?Today, the answer to that question stands in front of all of us in the form of Auqib. His journey proves that dreams born on small grounds in the Valley can reach the biggest stages of Indian cricket.I truly believe his success will change how people here look at cricket. It will give hope to young players and confidence to parents across the Valley that this game can indeed open doors that once seemed impossible.Ranji Trophy: Today, Jammu & Kashmir Belongs to CricketWe are very hopeful that he will soon get a call for the national team. He has been performing consistently for a long time now, and what could be a bigger achievement for him—and for us—than a player from our small club going on to wear the Indian team’s jersey?To watch someone who once played on our modest grounds represent the country would feel like a dream coming true.I truly believe Auqib will be on the next flight that Team India takes for its upcoming tour. And when that day comes, it will not just be his victory, but for our club, for North Kashmir, and for everyone who believed in his journey.Ranji Trophy Final Beckons: Jammu & Kashmir Rewrite Their Cricketing Story(All 'My Report' branded stories are submitted by citizen journalists to The Quint. Though The Quint inquires into the claims/allegations from all parties before publishing, the report and the views expressed above are the citizen journalist's own. The Quint neither endorses nor is responsible for the same.)

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'After Ranji Win, I Believe Auqib Nabi's Next Flight Will Be With Team India'

'His success feels sweeter because it was earned the hard way, rising from far behind in the toughest conditions.'

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Topics: Jammu and Kashmir RANJI TROPHY