The Auqib Nabi story: Father wanted him to be a doctor but 'qismat' had other plans for Dale Steyn of Baramulla

New Delhi: Growing up in a curfew-stricken Baramulla, Auqib Nabi’s pastime was imitating Dale Steyn’s bowling action. He calls the South African legend a “khoobsurat gendbaaz (beautiful bowler). ” “Growing up, he was my idol. I loved his action and his wicket celebrations. I used to watch Dale Steyn’s bowling a lot. Everything about his bowling was poetry,” Nabi tells TimesofIndia.com in an exclusive interview . The 28-year-old is making waves with the red ball in India’s domestic circuit. In the 2024-25 Ranji Trophy, he picked up 44 wickets in eight matches — the second-most in the season. His performance helped Jammu and Kashmir qualify for the quarterfinals, where Kerala edged them by a one-run first-innings lead. Nabi has started the 2025-26 season exactly where he left