Fresh from making headlines at the IPL 2026 mini-auction in Abu Dhabi, Auqib Nabi Dar was snapped up by the Delhi Capitals for a remarkable ₹8.40 crore, one of the highest amounts ever paid for an uncapped Indian player. The deal has been widely celebrated as a historic milestone for cricket in Jammu and Kashmir.
A talented 29-year-old right-arm medium pacer from Baramulla, Dar has steadily climbed the ranks in India’s domestic circuit with performances that showcase both skill and resilience.
Known for his consistency across all formats, he turned heads during the 2024–25 Ranji Trophy by taking 44 wickets, demonstrating his ability to swing the ball and make crucial breakthroughs. In addition to his bowling prowess, Dar has also contributed valuable runs in the lower order, further enhancing his reputation as a complete and impactful cricketer.
Early Life & Journey in Cricket: Sheeri to the Big Stage
Aquib Nabi Dar, born on November 4, 1996, in Baramulla, Jammu and Kashmir, grew up in a modest, traditional Kashmiri Muslim family in Sheeri village. His father, Ghulam Nabi Dar, worked as a teacher in a government school and dreamt of his son becoming a doctor instead of chasing a cricket career.
Dar attended Government Higher Secondary School in Fatehgarh and later graduated from Amar Singh College in Srinagar. Initially non-vegetarian and academically promising, he played casual tennis-ball cricket in Baramulla’s streets and open spaces purely for fun, without formal coaching in the region.
A big change came when a friend, who didn’t make it past the Under-16 trials at the Jammu & Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA), urged him to give the trials a shot. Dar borrowed spikes (lacking his own, only having ₹500 sports shoes)
Even after getting turned down at first, Auqib Nabi kept going. In 2018, his hard work paid off, and he got selected for the senior List-A team.
The 60-kilometer trip from Baramulla to Sonwar Bagh’s Sher-e-Kashmir stadium turned into a daily habit for Aquib Dar. During those lengthy rides, he often thought about his dream of excelling in cricket and dealt with the frustration of missed chances.
Though his father initially opposed, he supported after seeing dedication; Dar modeled his aggressive style after Dale Steyn and honed skills with local teams Sheeri Star and BCC Reds
He played two-three years in U-23 before Ranji debut in 2020, self-taught without bowling coaches until Irfan Pathan advised focusing on wrist position. Early trials saw failures and gear shortages, but domestic breakthroughs like 5/39 on Ranji debut solidified his path from street cricket to professional.
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Bowling Style & Technical Profile: The Dale Steyn of Baramulla
Auqib Dar bowls medium-pace swing, delivering at speeds of 125-135 km/h and sometimes reaching up to 138-140 km/h. Instead of relying on sheer speed like some fast bowlers, he puts emphasis on swing, seam movement, and precise aim. Those skills have drawn comparisons between him and Bhuvneshwar Kumar.
The cricketer from Jammu & Kashmir mimicked Dale Steyn’s bowling style. He adopted Steyn’s aggression and technique for bowling outswingers.
Aquib Dar said, “Just his [Dale Steyn’s] aggression when bowling outswingers. I copied his actions .” He also spoke about his admiration for Jasprit Bumrah’s ability to perform across formats and his knack for taking wickets. Many cricket enthusiasts now call him the “Dale Steyn of Baramulla” because of this influence on his style.
Auqib Nabi started as an outswing bowler but learned how to bowl inswingers with the help of bowling coach P. Krishnakumar. The coach became part of Jammu & Kashmir’s coaching team two years back. He observed that Aquib Dar had a good wrist position, which resembled that of Mohammed Shami. Aquib learned the inswinging skill even though most bowlers take nearly two years to perfect it.
Irfan Pathan, a past India all-rounder, mentored Jammu & Kashmir and supported Aquib’s career. He urged the JKCA to keep backing the young player even when his performance dipped.
Technical Strengths of Auqib Dar
| Bowling Attribute | Description |
| Primary Skill | Swing bowling both ways (inswing & outswing) |
| Speed Range | 125-135 km/h, occasionally 138-140 km/h |
| Key Strength | Late movement, accuracy, control |
| Bowling Action | Right-arm medium pace with smooth wrist position |
| Stamina | Can bowl 8-10 over spells consistently |
| Line & Length | Stump-to-stump accuracy |
Aquib Nabi centers his bowling on using a late swing to outwit batsmen rather than depending on raw speed. This makes him effective in red-ball cricket, where precision and patience play vital roles.
While playing in the Duleep Trophy, India international Arshdeep Singh, who shared the bowling attack with him, remarked: “This lad is special, the ball comes out of his hand “.
Aquib Dar Cricket Stats: In-Depth Look at Performance
Aquib Dar has shown impressive skills in domestic cricket with reliable wicket-taking and improved batting numbers. By January 2026, the Delhi Capitals added him to their team, bringing along his record of 125 wickets in first-class cricket. He has been a steady force in India’s top domestic league.
First-Class Cricket Statistics
Auqib Dar’s domestic cricket performance in first-class matches reflects exceptional bowling returns:
| Wickets | 125 |
| Bowling Average | 19.98 |
| Economy Rate | 2.90-2.91 |
| Strike Rate | Approximately 41 |
| Best Bowling | 7/24 |
| Five-Wicket Hauls | 12 |
| Ten-Wicket Hauls | 3 |
| Runs Scored | 870 |
| Batting Average | 18.91 |
| Highest Score | 55 |
| Fifties | 1 |
These Aquib Dar cricket stats place him among the most prolific seamers in recent Indian domestic cricket history.
List A & T20 Statistics
Auqib Nabi Dar has also demonstrated effectiveness in limited-overs formats:
List A Cricket:
- Matches: 29
- Wickets: 42
- Average: 28.88
- Economy: 5.07-5.08
- Best Bowling: 4/39
- Runs Scored: 351
- Highest Score: 45
T20 Cricket:
- Matches: 34
- Wickets: 43
- Average: 21.72
- Economy: 7.74-7.78
- Best Bowling: 4/16
- Runs Scored: 141
- Highest Score: 32
Achievements That Made History
Let’s have a look at Aquib Dar’s achievements:
Ranji Trophy Dominance
Aquib Dar had an incredible run in the Ranji Trophy. During the 2024-25 season, the Jammu & Kashmir player picked up 44 wickets. He achieved this with an impressive average of 13.93 and a strike rate of 30.47. This made him the second-highest wicket-taker that season and the leading seam bowler overall.
Vidarbha’s spinner Harsh Dubey managed more wickets with a total of 69. Aquib’s 44 wickets also set a new record for the highest number of wickets in a single Ranji Trophy season for Jammu & Kashmir. This surpassed Parvez Rasool’s previous record of 38 wickets set in the 2016-17 season.
In the ongoing 2025-26 Ranji Trophy season, Auqib Dar has been unstoppable. He has picked up 29 wickets across nine innings, maintaining an average between 13.27 and 13.28. His spell of 7 for 24 against Rajasthan in October 2025 ranks among the best bowling efforts this season, leading Jammu & Kashmir to a bonus-point win.
He also proved his all-round abilities in the same game by scoring 55 runs when his team had slumped to 81 for 5.
Historic Duleep Trophy Feat
In August 2025, Aquib Nabi made history by becoming the first bowler in the 64-year-long Duleep Trophy to claim four wickets on four back-to-back deliveries. Playing for North Zone in a match against East Zone at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, he bowled an incredible spell.
He took out Virat Singh, Manishi, Mukhtar Hussain, and Suraj Singh Jaiswal one after the other. This stunning performance turned East Zone’s score from 222 for 5 into 230 all out.
This made him just the fifth Indian to achieve this unique milestone in first-class cricket. He also became the third cricketer to take a hat-trick in the Duleep Trophy after Kapil Dev in 1979 and Sairaj Bahutule in 2001. His outstanding performance, with final figures of 5 wickets for 28 runs from 10.1 overs, helped North Zone gain a solid 175-run lead in the first innings.
Earlier in the game, Aquib Dar scored an important 44 off just 33 balls. His innings, which included four boundaries and two sixes, lifted North Zone from a shaky position at 308 for 7. He built a vital 66-run partnership for the eighth wicket.
Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy Excellence
Auqib Dar brought his impressive red-ball skills into the T20 format during the 2025-26 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. He took 15 wickets across seven games, averaging 13.26 and maintaining a 7.41 economy rate.
His standout performance was against Bihar, where he grabbed 4 wickets for 16 runs. He also achieved three-wicket hauls in matches against Madhya Pradesh (3 for 19), Himachal Pradesh (3 for 28), and Arunachal Pradesh (3 for 9).
Dar’s consistent performances with the ball kept him in the limelight as the IPL auction approached.
Vijay Hazare Trophy Heroics
On January 8, 2026, Aquib Dar delivered one of the most memorable performances in domestic cricket. During the Vijay Hazare Trophy match against Hyderabad, Jammu & Kashmir stumbled to 90 for 7 while chasing a target of 269.
Coming in at number eight, Auqib Nabi hit back, scoring an incredible unbeaten 114 runs off just 82 balls. His knock included 10 boundaries and seven sixes, marking his maiden professional cricket century.
He teamed up with Vanshaj Sharma, who remained 69 not out, to build a decisive 169-run stand that secured a three-wicket win with a little over two overs left. Earlier in the game, he bowled, picking up 3 wickets for 56 runs in his 10 overs.
Aquib Dar IPL Auction: Record ₹8.40 Crore Signing
Aquib Dar’s journey in the IPL auction hit a high point on December 15, 2025, in Abu Dhabi. The uncapped fast bowler began at a base price of ₹30 lakh. Things escalated as a bidding battle sent his price soaring 28 times higher.
Delhi Capitals placed the first bid, and Rajasthan Royals soon jumped in. When the bidding passed ₹1 crore, Rajasthan pulled out, but Royal Challengers Bengaluru entered to compete with Delhi. After the ₹2 crore mark, Sunrisers Hyderabad also joined the heated race.
The fight between Delhi Capitals and Sunrisers Hyderabad carried on until the final bid landed at ₹8.40 crore. Delhi Capitals signed Jammu & Kashmir cricketer Aquib Dar.
This IPL deal turned Aquib Dar into the costliest player ever from the Kashmir Valley in the league’s history. Parth Jindal, who co-owns Delhi Capitals, shared that their scouts had already marked Auqib Nabi Dar as a player likely to draw a lot of money before the auction.
Auction Planning and Build-Up
Before the IPL 2026 auction, Aquib Dar attended trials with several teams. In November 2025, the Mumbai Indians brought him to their Ghansoli training center where he showed his potential to strengthen their pace bowling lineup.
He also had a trial with the Delhi Capitals, who secured him. Some reports claimed that Kolkata Knight Riders and Chennai Super Kings were keeping an eye on his development as well. With Aquib Nabi, T Natarajan, and Mukesh Kumar joining, the Delhi Capitals bolstered their pace attack, which already had the Australian ace Mitchell Starc.
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Coaching, Guidance & Growth
Aquib Nabi’s journey from being an unpolished talent to becoming a skilled performer owes a lot to proper mentoring. Irfan Pathan, once a celebrated all-rounder for India, guided Jammu & Kashmir’s cricket team during the time Auqib Dar made his Ranji debut. Pathan played an essential part in shaping his initial cricketing career.
Pathan personally emailed the JKCA, recommending continued support for the young bowler even when his performance dipped, showing belief in his abilities. “I’m thrilled for him. He loves bowling and works . He delivers a straight seam with excellent control, and that’s what stood out to me when I picked him as Jammu & Kashmir’s mentor,” said Pathan after the IPL auction.
Auqib Nabi says bowling coach P. Krishnakumar helped him sharpen his abilities, teaching him to bowl an inswinger that pairs well with his natural outswing. Krishnakumar said, “This is the fastest I’ve seen anyone learn inswing. It takes at least two years.” The coach guided him to focus on bowling straight and fixing his alignment during practice.
State team coach Milap Mewada has worked on creating a positive team atmosphere. He has aimed to unite players from Jammu and Kashmir by teaching skills and building mental strength.
Aquib Dar got the chance to be a net bowler for Sunrisers Hyderabad in the 2023 IPL season, which gave him useful experience in high-level cricket.
Achievements, Recognition & Future Goals
Auqib Nabi Dar’s achievements go far beyond the numbers. Since early 2024, he has claimed more Ranji Trophy wickets than any other pace bowler in India. He took 73 wickets in 13 first-class games, with an average of about 13.8.
Over two Ranji seasons, he picked up a total of 63 wickets, proving his consistency and dependability. Yet, despite such remarkable stats, Aquib Dar mentioned feeling disheartened about being passed over for India A selection, even though his average stands at 13.8 with 68 wickets.
“It feels bad. I’ve been playing in the Ranji Trophy and other formats. As a fast bowler in India, picking 44 wickets in just five matches is no small task, but I’ve managed it. It’s frustrating when those performances are ignored. They didn’t even mention my name,” he said before the IPL 2026 auction.
Aquib Nabi has clear goals for the future. He wants to play Test cricket for India. He also dreams of starting a cricket academy in his hometown, Baramulla, to guide young players who deal with poor facilities.
Right now, he aims to help Jammu & Kashmir win their first-ever Ranji Trophy. Last season, they came close to achieving this, missing the semi-finals by only one run because of Kerala’s last-wicket stand.
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