How Jammu & Kashmir went from punching bag to Ranji Trophy title contenders

Bengal were the fourth team that J&K defeated, travelling to their backyard, after Delhi and MP. In their last near-miss of a season, they had humbled Mumbai in Mumbai. Samad, known as the ‘Hot Spring of Kalakote’ (Rajouri, Pir Panjal), but having grown up in Jammu city, was the batting star with his fearless batting. “One of the cleanest strikers of the ball,” said bowling coach P Krishna Kumar.

𝙎𝘾𝙀𝙉𝙀𝙎 𝙊𝙁 𝙋𝙐𝙍𝙀 𝙅𝙐𝘽𝙄𝙇𝘼𝙏𝙄𝙊𝙉 🤩

J&K create history as they defeat Bengal by 7️⃣ wickets to book their ticket to the #RanjiTrophy Final for the very first time 🫡

Scorecard ▶️ https://t.co/QXyCuRHJ6e@IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/VBKPD9I9mX

— BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) February 18, 2026

Samad’s 145-run partnership with captain Paras Dogra in the first innings had put the team on the path of this historic win. Dogra, who hails from Himachal, was brought in before the 2024-2025 season by the team’s coach Ajay Sharma, the former India player, and the then JKCA president Mithun Manhas, plainly for his Dogra-heritage.

The batsman who passed the 10,000 first-class run mark in the game was seen as a bridge between players from the Valley and those from Jammu, because of his self-effacing nature. “They are far more talented than me, and I am honoured to play alongside these skilled bowlers and bold batsmen,” he had told The Indian Express last year.

On Wednesday, he said, “From Day 1 we decided we have to win the Ranji Trophy.” Steadying the first innings after 13 for three, with Mohammed Shami on a roll, Dogra dragged J&K out of trouble. “I enjoy batting with Samad, he’s always positive,” he said.

J&K have assembled a crack team of coaches, with the hard-nosed Ajay Sharma, who gathered his troops after the win, and ordered them to dance to their favourite steps, like a sergeant drillmaster. His lieutenants are former Rajasthan journey men players, P Krishna Kumar, who has spent 15 years smoothening actions of speedsters at NCA, and Dishant Yagnik, a fielding coach with an insatiable appetite to learn new gymnastic ways of getting the bunch to leap and dive and catch.

Jammu and Kashmir’s Vanshaj Sharma celebrates with teammates after winning the Ranji Trophy second semifinal cricket match between Bengal and Jammu and Kashmir, at the Bengal Cricket Academy Ground, in Kalyani, Nadia district, West Bengal, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (PTI Photo)

Yawer Hassan and Vanshaj Sharma have been scouted out as future batting mainstays and Yudhvir Singh and left armer Sunil Kumar have been fast-tracked over last few years as canny speedsters.

However, nobody else has had a bigger impact on bringing elite consistency to J&K as their pacer Auqib Nabi, his wrist action like Shami’s, his aggressive outswinger imitated from Dale Steyn. In nine Ranji games this season, he has collected 55 wickets, averaging a brilliant 12.72 with six 5-fers. Picked by Delhi Capitals this IPL, he has his sights set on the Ranji title. His batting isn’t shabby either.

Crucially, he frustrated Shami & Co in the first innings with a handy 42, batting at No 9, and triggered a collapse of 99 all out in Bengal’s second. “We work hard on our batting, and the last 4-5 players regularly add 150 runs to the score. We don’t ignore batting,” he said.

On fortifying their confidence when facing Bengal, he said, “We had decided after last year that we will not go out of the competition again. We knew such opportunities don’t come often. Now we will win the final too. We deserve it,” said the bowler from Baramulla who needed to drive 60 km to reach a practice ground in his early years. The all rounder took home a cheque of Rs 50,000 for his showing. It may not compare to the IPL riches, but it’s brought him closer to the dream — even an India cap.