Indian seamer Auqib Nabi, 29, has signed a three-year contract with Surrey for the County Championship Division. In the last weeks of the 2026 season, the team will play one game in an effort to improve its bowling attack. On August 30, 2026, Nabi was granted a work visa and boarded the first flight to England.
Before the four-day India A series against Australia A in Puducherry, which is set to start on September 22, Nabi is anticipated to return to India. After Jasprit Bumrah was denied fitness clearance by the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence, he was included in India’s Test team for the Sri Lanka series earlier this month. However, India chose Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna as its two front-line seamers; therefore, Nabi was sidelined for both Tests.
Nabi’s remarkable Ranji Trophy performance, which saw him take 60 wickets for Jammu and Kashmir at an average of slightly over 12.5 runs per wicket and win player of the tournament, was the catalyst for his ascent to fame.
National selectors took notice of him after that haul, which put him among the competition’s most prolific seamers. Nabi had a breakout season in 2025–2026. With 60 wickets, including five in the final, he was instrumental in J&K’s maiden Ranji Trophy victory. During the campaign, R Smaran, Karun Nair, and K.L. Rahul were among his victims.
Additionally, he made his IPL debut after being acquired by the Delhi Capitals for Rs. 8.4 crore. Despite playing five games, he had an economy rate of 11.46 and no wickets. Mahipal Lomror and Rahul Chahar are two of Surrey’s current Indian players, and Sai Sudharsan has previously played for the team twice.
