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Irfan Pathan: Auqib Nabi, the Jammu and Kashmir speedster, recounted his humble beginnings, drawing inspiration from Parvez Rasool and Dale Steyn, and credited former Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan for his debut for the state. Delhi Capitals pacer Auqib Nabi opened up on his childhood and what drove him to become a fast bowler.

"I started playing cricket with tennis balls when I was in 5th or 6th grade. There was no specific place in Baramulla for practice. So, we used to play on the road or on a small school ground. I used to watch Dale Steyn a lot when I was young. The way he swung the ball at such high pace inspired me to become a fast bowler and hopefully, play for India one day. I used to get scolded a lot by my father for constantly playing cricket because I didn't have his support. He wanted me to become a doctor," Nabi told 'JioStar'.

On the inspiration he got from Parvez Rasool and Irfan Pathan, Nabi said, "Parvez Rasool made his debut for India by performing well for RCB in the IPL. I was very motivated to play for India after seeing him do that. Parvez bhai is one of us, hailing from a local village in Jammu and Kashmir. I made my mark for the first time during my Under-19 days when I was chosen for trials of the Jammu and Kashmir cricket team. I didn't have spiked shoes at that time, so I borrowed shoes from a senior.