In maiden IPL, Auqib Nabi wants to stay true to his strengths

Few home cricketers successful caller years person evoked arsenic overmuch curiosity astir their trade arsenic Auqib Nabi. The pacer from Baramulla was wholly compelling successful the precocious concluded home season, helping Jammu & Kashmir triumph the Ranji Trophy for the archetypal clip ever with a chart-topping 60 scalps successful 10 matches astatine an mean of 12.56.

With the 29-year-old successful the premier of his career, a accidental successful the Indian Premier League — helium was picked up by Delhi Capitals for ₹8.4 crore successful December’s mini-auction — couldn’t person travel astatine a much opportune moment.

Although it is his propensity to determination the reddish shot astatine volition that has facilitated the added attention, it volition beryllium nary little intriguing to way however Nabi copes with the demands of the world’s astir high-profile T20 league. It is worthy pointing retired that helium besides impressed successful the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy — the home T20 conscionable — past season, accounting for 15 victims successful 7 outings.

Nabi, existent to his no-frills demeanour, stressed connected simplicity erstwhile queried astir his mantra with the shot crossed formats.

“My spot is that I plaything the caller shot and marque aboriginal breakthroughs. At the backmost end, successful T20, you request yorkers and slower balls. I americium moving connected that with coaches. I won’t veer distant from my strengths. I support things simple,” Nabi said during a virtual enactment connected Friday. “Obviously, determination volition beryllium expectations. But I americium focusing connected my work, and not giving a batch of attraction to extracurricular noise.”

It is easier said than done, for the IPL, though inactive a home competition, is simply a sizeable step-up from his assignments for J & K.

“The borderline of mistake is little successful the IPL,” assessed Nabi. “Domestic cricket is besides astatine a bully level, but successful the IPL, you won’t expect to get distant with a batch of mistakes. That is the quality betwixt the IPL and home cricket.”