How a schoolteacher's son became Kashmir's first India Test cricketer

Auqib Nabi Dar, the son of a schoolteacher from Baramulla, has become the first cricketer from Jammu and Kashmir to receive an India Test call‑up, stepping into the squad for the two‑match series against Sri Lanka that begins on 15 August after replacing Jasprit Bumrah. The milestone was greeted with pride in a region where long winters, limited infrastructure and decades of conflict have historically curtailed sporting prospects. Recalling a childhood conversation, Auqib’s cousin Bilal Ahmad Dar once asked him, “You play with truthful galore cricket stars. Why don't you instrumentality selfies with them?” Auqib smiled and replied, “One time I volition scope a spot wherever they vol