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J&K pacer Auqib Nabi close to becoming a crorepati in IPL auction, Gujarat Titans told to use him as Siraj's backup
Former India batter Cheteshwar Pujara believes that the Gujarat Titans can look to bring Auqib Nabi on board as a back-up option to Mohammed Siraj.
Auqib Nabi, the pacer from Jammu and Kashmir, has been setting the domestic cricket stage on fire, but the Indian Premier League (IPL) call-up is yet to come. However, the 29-year-old might just become a crorepati on Tuesday in the mini-auction in Abu Dhabi as the right-arm medium pacer is expected to attract bids from multiple franchises, owing to his tremendous form in the recent few months. In the seven matches he played in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, Nabi returned with 15 wickets at an economy rate of 7.41, including figures of 4/16 against Bihar.
Not just the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, Nabi has been in phenomenal form in the Ranji Trophy as well, picking 29 wickets in nine innings, including three five-wicket hauls and a stunning 7/24 against Rajasthan, which helped Jammu and Kashmir progress to the knockouts stage.
Not just the ongoing domestic season, the speedster was phenomenal last season as well, picking up 44 wickets in the Ranji Trophy at a remarkable average of 13.93. Hence, it is no surprise that even former India batter Cheteshwar Pujara believes that Nabi will be an attraction in the upcoming auction.
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However, when specifically asked whether Nabi could be the right fit for the Gujarat Titans, coached by Ashish Nehra, Pujara stated that the franchise might only use him as a backup option, as they already have the likes of Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, and Kagiso Rabada in their ranks. It is worth mentioning that Nabi has set his base price as INR 30 lakh in the auction.
“GT has one of the best seam attacks in the IPL with Siraj, Prasidh and Rabada. Auqib is a talented bowler, but he can be there as a backup option,” JioStar expert Pujara said, while speaking exclusively to Hindustan Times around the TATA IPL 2026 Mini-Auction.
‘Gujarat Titans should look to go after…’
Pujara also believes that the Gujarat Titans should target David Miller, as the Proteas batter has experience playing with the franchise and understands how the team operates. It is worth noting that Miller was part of the Gujarat Titans for two seasons, from 2022 to 2023, scoring over 700 runs. He was even a part of the title-winning team in GT's inaugural season in the competition (2022).
Ahead of the mini-auction, Miller was released by the Lucknow Super Giants, and he will be available for a base price of INR 2 crore. Pujara also believes that Miller can be a good backup option for Glenn Phillips.
Gujarat Titans desperately need a middle-overs batter after trading Sherfane Rutherford to the Mumbai Indians, ahead of the auction.
“Yes, Gujarat Titans should look to go after David Miller as he was a part of GT in the past, and he can be a good backup for Glenn Phillips,” said Pujara.
Catch all the action from the TATA IPL 2026 mini-auction, December 16, 2:30 PM onwards, LIVE on JioHotstar and Star Sports Network.
