J&K end 67-year wait, enter Ranji Trophy final

"It will be hard to get an opportunity like that to make it to the Ranji semifinals again.”

This writer told one of the Jammu & Kashmir players at the start of the current domestic season.

“Don’t worry, iss baar aur aage jayenge (we will go even further this time),” came the reply.

Last season, J&K had fallen agonisingly short, just one run away from a place in the Ranji Trophy semifinals. The heartbreak was visible. But, so was the belief.

Now, that belief has turned into history. After 67 long years, J&K have reached the Ranji Trophy final for the first time. They defeated Madhya Pradesh in the quarterfinal and then outplayed a star-studded Bengal side in the semifinal, both away from home.

Not long ago, J&K were considered minnows in Indian domestic cricket. So what changed?

The turnaround

While commentating during J&K’s match against Madhya Pradesh, former India cricketer Ashok Malhotra shared a telling anecdote. He recalled that when Delhi toured J&K in the past, players treated it like a picnic. “We knew the match would finish in two days,” he said. “After that, it was Pahalgam and Gulmarg.”

That perception no longer exists.

In recent years, J&K have beaten heavyweights such as Mumbai, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh and Bengal. The transformation began in 2013-14 when J&K stunned Mumbai in Mumbai and reached the Ranji quarterfinals for the first time. That victory planted belief.

Parvez Rasool’s India call-up soon after, even though brief, reinforced the idea that players from the region could compete at the highest level.

Yet consistency remained elusive. Administrative instability and an inconsistent system often derailed progress.

A significant shift came in 2018 when the Jammu & Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA) appointed former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan as coach and mentor. Irfan identified talent but believed the mindset needed reform.

Two structural changes proved crucial. First, he scrapped the unwritten regional quota system that informally ensured equal representation from Jammu and Kashmir provinces. Selection was made merit-based rather than region-based.

Second, he fast-tracked promising age-group players into the senior setup, breaking the rigid progression that previously delayed exposure at the top level.

The impact was immediate. In the 2019-20 Ranji Trophy, J&K registered six outright wins and reached the quarterfinals. The upward curve had begun.

What is different?

This current squad has grown together through the age-group system. The shared journey has fostered cohesion, something that had often been missing in the past.

This season, despite losing their opening match to Mumbai, J&K have marched into the final largely on the strength of their bowling. Auqib Nabi has led the charge with 55 wickets in nine matches, emerging as one of the standout bowlers of the tournament. He has been ably supported by left-arm pacer Sunil Kumar and the quick Yudhvir Singh.

J&K’s pace attack has dismantled opposition batting line-ups consistently.

Equally significant has been the resilience of their lower order. While the top order has faltered at times, the middle and lower-order batters have delivered crucial contributions. J&K bat deep, even their No. 11 is capable of holding his own, allowing them to recover from precarious situations.

They will face Karnataka, who are waiting for formalities to be completed in the other semifinal against Uttarakhand, in the final, a formidable opponent with pedigree in the tournament.

Again an away game, the challenge will be stern. But given the brand of cricket J&K have played this season, particularly away from home, they will back themselves.

From being a team once treated as a tourist stop, J&K now stand one match away from rewriting their cricketing history.

Brief scores: Bengal: 328 all out & 99 all out lt to Jammu & Kashmir: 302 & (O/n: 43/2): (Shubham Pundir 27, Vanshaj Sharma 43 n.o., Abdul Samad 30 n.o.; Akash Deep 3-46). PoM: Auqib Nabi.

(The writer is a Kashmir-based
senior sports journalist)

Highlights - What they said
On my behalf, and on behalf of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, I extend heartfelt congratulations to all of them. I hope the day is not far when we will see players from Jammu and Kashmir playing a very important role in the national team... Winning the Ranji Trophy is not something an individual can accomplish alone; it is the success of the entire team and the supporting staff.
J&K CM Omar Abdullah
Cricket tests you far more than it rewards you. We just have to be stubborn. We have to keep going. So, God has written that we will play in the final.
J&K captain Paras Dogra
My mindset is that you put the ball in a channel, don't think too much about the results and what the batsman are doing or thinking. I have my own area, I stick to that. I don't think much about the rest.
J&K pacer Auqib Nabi
In Sholay, everybody had a role - Thakur, Jai, Veeru, the Jailor, even Hariram Naai (barber). Nobody knew the film would become such a big hit, but every character played his part perfectly. Our team is like Sholay. There is no superstar. Everybody knows his role and plays it to perfection. That's why we are here.
J&K coach Ajay Sharma

Cut-off box - Dream come true: Manhas 
Back in 2021 when current BCCI president Mithun Manhas became one of the administrators of a crisis-ridden Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA) he had to set things right in a body that was dealing with mismanagement and allegations of corruption reports PTI from New Delhi.
On Wednesday when the Jammu and Kashmir team created history by reaching its first ever Ranji Trophy final Manhas could afford to be a bit emotional.
“It wasn’t very easy at that time when I took over as the administrator. The then BCCI secretary Jay Shah gave me a free hand and told me that do whatever is needed to get Jammu and Kashmir cricket back on track” Manhas said after J&K’s six-wicket win over two-time former champions Bengal in the Ranji semifinal in Kalyani.
“I was watching the match on TV and beating a side like Bengal that had players like Mohammed Shami and Akash Deep is a huge achievement. The cricketer in me is emotional as I ended my first-class career and also worked with the state unit there.”