<p>Hubballi: Back in 2013, Hubballi was the place where Paras Dogra made his India A debut against West Indies A in an unofficial Test series following his 2012-13 Ranji Trophy campaign for Himachal Pradesh for whom he scored 786 runs. </p>.<p>However, Dogra could not carry the domestic form and managed just seven runs while team-mates Cheteshwar Pujara made 306 and Gautam Gambhir scored 123 in the game.</p>.<p>Almost 13 years on, life came full circle for the 41-year-old on Saturday when the “best moment of his life” came at the same place here at the KSCA Rajnagar Stadium. </p>.Ranji Trophy final: Jammu & Kashmir tame fancied Karnataka to win maiden title.<p>“I was talking about it yesterday. I was telling them (J&K team) there were not many buildings. I remember it. Never thought we are going to be champions on this ground. Winning the Ranji Trophy has to be the best moment,” Dogra said. </p>.<p>Dogra, playing his first Ranji Trophy final in 25 years, captained J&K to their first national title, 67 years after their first appearance. </p>.<p>“I just can’t explain the emotions to be honest. It has been a very long journey. Never thought it would happen. I have always pushed every player and myself to be their best at every time. And it worked, we have won the Ranji Trophy.”</p>.<p>An emotional and grateful Dogra recalled a time when he wanted to quit but continued pursuing his dream after being pushed by his family. </p>.<p>“A little, yes. Three to four years back, my performances were down. I was thinking of giving up. But my family and friends pushed me. They forced me into thinking I can do it. So I pushed and then Mithun (Manhas) bhai called. And everything just happened.” </p>.<p>Coming into the final, a full-strength Karnataka were tipped to win the title but Dogra said that J&K had “no second thoughts” about beating the hosts. </p>.<p>“The mindset was... when you are winning, you are always on the confident side. So that was obvious. In Bombay, we beat Bombay. Baroda in Baroda. We also beat Bengal in Bengal. So these things help. And there were no second thoughts that we can’t beat them.”</p>.<p>Dogra, who started with Himachal Pradesh in 2001, moved to Pondicherry in 2018 and then shifted to J&K in the 2024-25 season, explained what it took to win one Ranji title. </p>
<p>Hubballi: Back in 2013, Hubballi was the place where Paras Dogra made his India A debut against West Indies A in an unofficial Test series following his 2012-13 Ranji Trophy campaign for Himachal Pradesh for whom he scored 786 runs. </p>.<p>However, Dogra could not carry the domestic form and managed just seven runs while team-mates Cheteshwar Pujara made 306 and Gautam Gambhir scored 123 in the game.</p>.<p>Almost 13 years on, life came full circle for the 41-year-old on Saturday when the “best moment of his life” came at the same place here at the KSCA Rajnagar Stadium. </p>.Ranji Trophy final: Jammu & Kashmir tame fancied Karnataka to win maiden title.<p>“I was talking about it yesterday. I was telling them (J&K team) there were not many buildings. I remember it. Never thought we are going to be champions on this ground. Winning the Ranji Trophy has to be the best moment,” Dogra said. </p>.<p>Dogra, playing his first Ranji Trophy final in 25 years, captained J&K to their first national title, 67 years after their first appearance. </p>.<p>“I just can’t explain the emotions to be honest. It has been a very long journey. Never thought it would happen. I have always pushed every player and myself to be their best at every time. And it worked, we have won the Ranji Trophy.”</p>.<p>An emotional and grateful Dogra recalled a time when he wanted to quit but continued pursuing his dream after being pushed by his family. </p>.<p>“A little, yes. Three to four years back, my performances were down. I was thinking of giving up. But my family and friends pushed me. They forced me into thinking I can do it. So I pushed and then Mithun (Manhas) bhai called. And everything just happened.” </p>.<p>Coming into the final, a full-strength Karnataka were tipped to win the title but Dogra said that J&K had “no second thoughts” about beating the hosts. </p>.<p>“The mindset was... when you are winning, you are always on the confident side. So that was obvious. In Bombay, we beat Bombay. Baroda in Baroda. We also beat Bengal in Bengal. So these things help. And there were no second thoughts that we can’t beat them.”</p>.<p>Dogra, who started with Himachal Pradesh in 2001, moved to Pondicherry in 2018 and then shifted to J&K in the 2024-25 season, explained what it took to win one Ranji title. </p>