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India’s first day of preparation for the Sri Lanka Test series has raised several questions, but perhaps the biggest one is about Auqib Nabi.

Sri Lanka Cricket XI finished Day 1 of the warm-up match on 363/8 after 90 overs. India tried almost every bowling option available to them, but Nabi did not bowl a single over.

That is difficult to understand.

Auqib Nabi Replaced Jasprit Bumrah in India’s Squad

Jasprit Bumrah was ruled out of the two-Test series against Sri Lanka due to injury, and Auqib Nabi was called up as his replacement.

Nabi earned that opportunity after a brilliant domestic season.

The Jammu and Kashmir pacer finished the 2025-26 Ranji Trophy as the leading wicket-taker with 60 wickets and played a major role in helping J&K win their maiden Ranji Trophy title.

So, this is not a player who has entered the Indian setup without performances behind him.

He has earned his opportunity.

That is exactly why the decision not to give him even one over in a warm-up match is so difficult to understand.

What Are Warm-Up Matches For?

This is the biggest question.

What exactly is the purpose of a warm-up match?

These matches are played so that players can get used to the conditions, understand the pitch and prepare themselves before the actual series begins.

And if someone is new to the international setup, he probably needs that opportunity even more.

Auqib Nabi has received his maiden senior India call-up. He is playing in Sri Lankan conditions and could be required at some stage during the series.

Still, he was not given a single over on Day 1.

Even a short spell of four or five overs would have given Nabi an opportunity to understand the surface and allowed the team management to see how his bowling works in these conditions.

Instead, he remained on the sidelines.

Almost Everyone Bowled Except Auqib Nabi

This is where the decision becomes even more questionable.

India had no shortage of bowling options during the day.

Kuldeep Yadav bowled 18 overs. Ravindra Jadeja bowled 15. Manav Suthar delivered 13 overs, while Saransh Jain bowled 11.

Among the pacers, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna and Gurnoor Brar were also given spells.

But not Auqib Nabi.

In a warm-up game, where teams have much greater freedom to rotate players and test different combinations, not giving Nabi even one over naturally raises questions.

This was exactly the kind of match where India could have tested him.

What If India Suddenly Need Auqib Nabi?

There is another practical issue here.

What happens if one of India’s frontline pacers gets injured before or during the Test series?

Suppose Prasidh Krishna or Gurnoor Brar becomes unavailable. India may suddenly need Nabi.

But how prepared will he be if he has not been given an opportunity to bowl in the warm-up game?

This was a chance to introduce him to the conditions without the pressure of an international Test.

India did not have to play him ahead of anyone. They simply had to give him some overs.

That is what makes the decision surprising.

Prasidh Krishna’s Performance Makes the Decision More Surprising

The questions become even stronger when we look at how India’s other pacers performed.

Prasidh Krishna bowled eight overs and conceded 32 runs without taking a wicket.

Mohammed Siraj also went wicketless.

This was against a Sri Lanka Cricket XI batting unit rather than the main Sri Lankan Test batting line-up.

Yet Sri Lanka Cricket XI managed to reach 363/8.

To be clear, one wicketless spell in a warm-up match does not suddenly make Prasidh a poor bowler. These matches are about preparation, and the surface may not always help the pacers.

But if the purpose is preparation, why not prepare Auqib Nabi as well?

That is the question the team management needs to answer.

Is There More Behind the Auqib Nabi Decision?

There were reports and discussions around Nabi’s selection even before the tour, and his exclusion from the bowling plans on Day 1 will naturally create more speculation.

Was this simply a tactical decision?

Does the team management currently see Siraj, Prasidh and Gurnoor ahead of Nabi in the pace-bowling order?

Or was there another reason for not giving him a spell?

At the moment, there is no verified evidence to suggest that Gautam Gambhir or the Indian team management deliberately sidelined Nabi because of any disagreement with the selectors.

Therefore, it would be wrong to present that theory as a fact.

However, the cricketing decision itself can certainly be questioned.

If Nabi is good enough to be selected in India’s Test squad, surely he is good enough to bowl a few overs in a warm-up match.

India Cannot Afford Selection and Management Confusion

India are already going into the Sri Lanka series without Jasprit Bumrah.

That makes the management of their remaining pace-bowling resources even more important.

This is not the time for confusion over roles.

Players need to know where they stand and what is expected from them.

If Nabi is only a backup option, that is fine. But even a backup bowler needs preparation because injuries and changes can happen at any point during a Test series.

India cannot wait until an emergency arrives and then expect a player to immediately adjust to unfamiliar conditions.

That preparation has to start now.