"After that, he didn't swing the ball" - Sunil Gavaskar on Auqib Nabi's spell in NZ vs IND 2026 1st ODI

Former India player Sunil Gavaskar has opined that Auqib Nabi was potentially nervous in the first ODI against New Zealand. He pointed out that the Jammu and Kashmir seamer didn't swing the ball after one or two overs.

India registered a five-wicket win via the DLS method in Auckland on Wednesday, November 4, chasing down a revised 143-run target with 56 balls to spare. The visitors had bowled out the hosts for 185 earlier in the day, with Nabi going wicketless and conceding 33 runs in his six-over spell.

During a discussion on Sony Sports, Gavaskar was asked about his thoughts on Nabi's spell.

"I felt he was probably nervous. He got the ball to swing in the first one or two overs, but after that, he didn't swing the ball. His length was good in the first over, but after that, his length became fuller," he responded.

The former India captain noted that the Kiwi batters virtually forced the right-arm seamer to shorten his length by hitting his full deliveries for boundaries.

"His thought process was right because the ball will move a little in the air and after pitching if he bowls full. However, since the straight boundaries are extremely small, the batters took advantage of that and started hitting fours. After that, when he pulled his length back, there was no movement at all," Gavaskar observed.

Auqib Nabi conceded 19 runs in his three-over spell with the new ball. He was unfortunate not to pick up his maiden ODI wicket as Naman Dhir dropped Tim Seifert at midwicket in his second over.

"He might get a little more help in Wellington" - Sunil Gavaskar on Auqib Nabi

In the same discussion, Sunil Gavaskar noted that Auqib Nabi might get slightly more helpful conditions in the second ODI even though the match will not be played at the Basin Reserve.

"There are days when you bowl well, but you don't get wickets. He might get a little more help in Wellington. The match is not at the Basin Reserve. It's in the other stadium. Had it been at the Basin Reserve, it's an open ground, and the ball can swing more in the Test match. In this match, it's the white ball. That also doesn't swing much," he said.

The former India opener urged Shreyas Iyer and company to persist with the Delhi Capitals (DC) seamer in the upcoming games.

"However, at times, if you get rhythm in your first over and pick up a wicket, the atmosphere becomes totally different. I feel they should show faith in Nabi. He should be given chances because whether it's Wellington or Christchurch, he will get a little help on all wickets," Gavaskar observed.

Auqib Nabi was a late addition to the Indian squad for the first three ODIs after Prasidh Krishna was ruled out due to injury. It remains to be seen if he is retained in the XI for the second ODI, given that Mohammed Siraj was potentially unavailable for the series opener, as he was part of the India A side that played the second unofficial Test against New Zealand A until November 3.

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