Hubballi, Feb 28: Jammu and Kashmir captain Paras Dogra was left struggling for words after guiding his side to a historic maiden Ranji Trophy title, calling it the “biggest” moment of his life.
Jammu and Kashmir etched their name in the record books by clinching their first-ever Ranji Trophy crown on the basis of a commanding first-innings lead after the final against Karnataka cricket team ended in a draw.
“I can’t explain to be honest, I have no words. At this time, it is the biggest thing in my life. This will be the biggest gratitude I will have in my life before I go away from this world,” Dogra said after the triumph.
“To be honest, I have been lucky to be with JKCA, the guys have been phenomenal, they have been excellent. It is not about the (playing) eleven, it is (about the) 14-15 guys, they are tremendous. They have been putting their hands up and they have been keen to win the matches. From the beginning, they were 100 per cent sure that we are going to win this Ranji Trophy.”
After securing a massive 291-run first-innings lead, J&K tightened their grip further on the final day with another commanding batting performance, led by Qamran Iqbal.
Drafted into the playing eleven at the last minute, Iqbal responded with a match-defining unbeaten 160, emerging as one of the chief architects of J&K’s triumph. The 24-year-old, who was not part of the original plans, was flown in after veteran opener Shubham Khajuria was ruled out with an injury on the eve of the match.
“I’m feeling good. This is the first time our state has won a tournament. It’s (due to) all the effort of the coaches, the boys and the administrators at JKCA. So, congrats to JKCA,” Iqbal said.
Recalling the sudden call-up, he added: “I was a bit injured. I was at home when I got a call at 3:00 in the morning. I caught a flight in the evening. Then I came here at 8:00 in the morning. So, it was fine.”
Despite scoring just six runs in the first innings, Iqbal bounced back with a composed and assured knock in the second essay, blending caution with confidence against the new ball.
“It was both confidence and a tactic. It was a new ball. It was Day 1. So, it was both,” he said of his approach.
Iqbal and Sahil Lotra struck well-crafted centuries and stitched an unbeaten 197-run partnership as J&K swelled their overall lead to 633 runs, effectively batting Karnataka out of the contest.
He credited the administrators and coaching staff, including head coach Ajay Sharma, for laying the groundwork. “He is so focused for the team. He takes everything very seriously. He doesn’t take it lightly so this is the result,” Iqbal said.
He also praised senior players and pacer Auqib Nabi for their contributions throughout the campaign.
Looking ahead, Iqbal kept his ambitions measured. “Nothing much. Match-to-match focus is on. We won today, it will be a celebration. Let’s see what happens in the future.”
With this historic triumph, Jammu and Kashmir have announced their arrival among India’s domestic cricket elite, marking a watershed moment in the state’s sporting history. (Agencies)
