Ranji Trophy: Auqib Nabi's fifer floors Delhi as J&K seize early advantage

J&K pacer Auqib Nabi, who had already taken 19 wickets this season before this match, has now added five more to his tally with figures of 16-5-35-5.

Jammu & Kashmir pacer Auqib Nabi produced a brilliant five-wicket haul to put his side in control against Delhi on the opening day of their Ranji Trophy clash at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi on Saturday. Having opted to bowl first on a breezy morning, J&K made the most of the conditions, bundling out Delhi for 211 in their first innings.

 

J&K strike early after winning toss

 

The visitors’ decision to field first was rewarded almost immediately. Nabi, who has been in red-hot form this season, continued his impressive run with the ball, extracting movement off the surface and troubling the top order from the outset.

 

Delhi were rocked early, losing three wickets within the first hour. Openers Arpit Rana (0) and Yash Dhull (1) departed cheaply, while Sanat Sangwan (12) fell soon after, leaving the hosts reeling at 14 for 3.  "I would say I’ve worked on my mindset — that no matter what the pitch or conditions are, you must land the ball in the right areas. Whether it swings in or out, that’s secondary. I’ve made that change mentally; apart from that, not much else," Nabi said after the end of Day 1 play.

 

Badoni and Doseja rebuild before the collapse

 

Captain Ayush Badoni and Ayush Doseja attempted to revive the innings with a 104-run partnership for the fourth wicket. Badoni, returning to lead Delhi after missing the second unofficial Test against South Africa A, looked in fluent touch and reached his half-century with six boundaries. However, his inability to convert starts continued to haunt him — after playing a few loose aerial shots and surviving a close run-out call, he was trapped lbw by left-arm spinner Vanshaj Sharma for 64 soon after lunch.

 

Doseja (65) played a patient knock but was undone by Abid Mushtaq, while Sumit Mathur remained unbeaten on 55, guiding Delhi past the 200-mark before Nabi wrapped up the innings.

 

Nabi’s spell turns the game

 

It was Nabi’s spell with the old ball that broke Delhi’s backbone. He first removed Anuj Rawat with a perfect outswinger to Abdul Samad at slip, and in the next over, he dismissed Hrithik Shokeen and debutant Manan Bhardwaj off consecutive deliveries. 

 

Bhardwaj, who was making his first-class debut after strong Under-23 performances, was undone by a searing inswinging yorker.

 

Nabi nearly claimed a hat-trick when Simarjeet Singh narrowly kept out a full toss. The pacer, who had already taken 19 wickets this season before this match, has now added five more to his tally with figures of 16-5-35-5.   

 

Delhi’s collapse was dramatic — from 182 for 4, they slipped to 195 for 8 within 19 balls, losing four wickets for just 13 runs as Nabi ripped through the lower order. 

"I learnt to bowl the inswing over time through playing. Earlier, I only had one swing — outswing. Gradually, I developed the inswing through practice. If a bowler has both types of swing, it becomes a strong skill set. In this match, I backed that and focused on bowling in those same areas. Whatever the situation — new ball or old — your basics must be clear and strong. You have to hit good areas consistently," 29-year-old Nabi added.

 

Debutant Bhardwaj’s forgettable start

 

Delhi’s debutant left-arm spinner Manan Bhardwaj had a tough initiation to first-class cricket. Best known for conceding six consecutive sixes to Priyansh Arya in the Delhi Premier League earlier this year, Bhardwaj’s debut ended without a run as he was lbw to Nabi for a first-ball duck.

 

A day to remember for Auqib Nabi

 

The 26-year-old pacer continues to be the find of J&K’s domestic season. Having claimed four wickets in four balls during the Duleep Trophy earlier this year, Nabi’s latest spell reaffirmed his ability to swing matches single-handedly. His pace, control, and reverse swing proved too much for Delhi’s lower order.

 

As stumps approached, J&K had seized the momentum and will look to build a strong first-innings lead when play resumes on Sunday.