“I was with the SunRisers and he was a net bowler there”

England spinner Adil Rashid lauded uncapped all-rounder Auqib Nabi’s rise after the IPL 2026 auction. Auqib was acquired by the Delhi Capitals (DC) for a huge price of ₹8.4 crore at the mini auction.

Adil Rashid, who was with the SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) in 2022 and 2023, revealed that Auqib was a net bowler for SRH then. He stated that the Jammu & Kashmir pacer was just a medium-pace bowler then, but significantly improved his game, performing consistently in domestic cricket. Adil reckoned that the reason for his being picked up at a high price was his solid form.

“I was with him. Back in 2022-23 I was with the SunRisers and he was a net bowler there. He wasn’t in the squad, he just bowled in the nets. That time when he was bowling and you see him, he was just a medium pacer. But I think recently, what got him that gig was, he had a very good red ball tournament in first class cricket. He smashed it there. On the back of that, they saw the potential to pick him. For him, from where he comes from, to make it out to that is a massive deal,” he said on the ‘Beard Before Wicket‘ podcast.

On the same podcast, former England all-rounder Moeen Ali highlighted that this was the beauty of the IPL. He reflected on how a lot of research would be done even for net bowlers, and a lot of trials were conducted by franchises.

“That is why the IPL is so special and they are ahead of everyone else. Because of having net bowlers, not just net bowlers but those who they have done a lot of research on. They do trials beforehand. I’m sure you have to take trials to be a net bowler,” he stated.

Auqib has been in terrific form in the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) 2025-26. He has bagged 15 wickets from seven matches at an average of 13.26 and an economy of 7.41. The pacer also has 125 scalps from just 36 first-class matches in his career so far.

Moeen Ali on Ben Duckett being picked at the IPL 2026 auction

Moeen Ali also reflected on England batter Ben Duckett being picked at the IPL 2026 auction. He was acquired by DC at his base price of ₹2 crore. Moeen reckoned that he would be a difficult batter to bowl at if he got an opportunity to start in the playing XI.

“I think for him it is good at the minute. He probably feels he deserves more and I think he does to a certain extent. But it is his first year and I think why he is a good buy is because he is so difficult to bowl at. He’s improved his game massively in T20 cricket over the last couple of years. I think he could be one of those signings under the radar. Depends if he plays or not, but if he does, he will be difficult to bowl at,” he said.

Duckett has played 20 T20Is, scoring 527 runs at an average of 29.27 and a strike rate of 153.64. Overall, he has played 216 T20s and has scored 5397 runs at a strike rate of 140.18. It will be interesting to see if Duckett opens the batting with KL Rahul in IPL 2026.