Jammu & Kashmir Make History, Clinch First-Ever Ranji Trophy Title To End 67-Year-Wait
· Free Press Journal
Jammu and Kashmir missed out on a maiden Ranji Trophy semifinal berth last year after Kerala won the quarterfinal based on first innings lead of just one run. Missing out on glory by the finest of margins after a stellar 2024-25 campaign that included a win over domestic heavyweights Mumbai in Mumbai can shake a side, but Paras Dogra-led Jammu and Kashmir were in the mood to relent.
They came up stronger with better plans for the 2025-26 season. It didn't go well in the opening game of the season against Mumbai at home, but outright wins over Rajasthan and Delhi reinvigorated their campaign, and they qualified for the second consecutive quarterfinal. In the knock outs, they played as underdogs, beating Madhya Pradesh in Madhya Pradesh to reach maiden semifinals.
Visit asg-reflektory.pl for more information.
They were given no chance against Bengal in Bengal but they were determined to surprise all, before accounting for the seven-time Ranji trophy champions Karnataka in the final, in their own backyard.
Seamer Auqib Nabi continued his consistent show by bettering last season's performance. He emerged the top wicket taker with 60 scalps on dead and docile wickets. Incidentally other seamer who figures in the top ten wicket taker list, topped by him, is Mohammed Shami with 37 wickets in seven matches. Nabi played all 10 games showing his fitness and effort he has put in on dead tracks with his wrist position, accuracy and nagging line and length. Fellow pacer Sunil Kumar is eleventh on the list of wicket takers with 31 scalps.
Nabi's 60 scalps included seven five wickets hauls including one in the final where J&K scored 584 and Karnataka had the likes of KL Rahul, Karun Nair and prolific scorer in Ravichandran Samarth but he got through the trios defence to eventually bowl out Karnataka for 293.
After trapping Mayank Agarwal for 160 and ensuring first innings lead of 291, the win was a mere formality. J&K made sure they batted Karnataka out of the contest with score of 342 for 4 in the second innings with Qamran Iqbal and Sahil Lotra scoring centuries.
Auqib took 12 wickets against Madhya Pradesh in the quarterfinals which included seven-for and five-for. He then followed it up with five wickets haul and match haul of nine wickets against Bengal in Bengal in the semifinal to out do Shami and Akashdeep Singh.
Sunil and Yudhvir Singh supported Nabi well and spinners like Sahil Lotra, Abid Mushtaq also made impact whenever they got help.
The standout thing was approaching batting performances. Contrary to past where J&K batters showed less patience and perseverance to stay at the wicket, they made it sure to spent time at the wicket in last few seasons and this time went further to show resilience
.Veteran Dogra with over 10,000 First Class runs showed his experience and Abdul Samad was also among the runs. Shubham Pundir, Yawar Khan, Shubham Khajuria, wicket keeper batter Kanhaiya Wadhawan, Abid Mushtaq all chipped when the team required the most. When Khajuria got injured last minute inclusion Qamar Iqbal responded with daddy hundred in the second innings of the final, to show their bench strength.
The credit for unity, patience and resilience for the J&K campaign this season must got to head coach Ajay Sharma who has reformed the team and showed what he can on his comeback to professional cricket after being cleared of match fixing charges.
Players from Kashmir come from a region with extreme temperatures in winters and continuous turmoil. Circumstances make them tough and hard and they showed on the field this with right planning, execution and team spirit. Current BCCI chief Mithun Manhas must be a happy man as he laid the foundations for this with past coaches like Bishen Singh Bedi creating the belief in the J&K boys.