Jammu and Kashmir’s cricket team made history by winning the Ranji Trophy for the first time, defeating eight-time champions Karnataka in a triumph built on collective effort and exceptional talent. Asrar Syeed profiles the team members
After scripting history by winning the Ranji Trophy for the first time, the Jammu and Kashmir cricket team has emerged as the most celebrated group of sportspersons in the region. Their achievement has brought them unprecedented recognition, with the players now in demand across institutions and public platforms.
Beyond the accolades and public admiration, the team is also being honoured with substantial rewards. By defeating the eight-time champions, the Karnataka cricket team in the final, Jammu and Kashmir secured prize money of Rs 5 crore. Omar Abdullah, who joined spectators on the final day of the match, announced an additional Rs 2 crore award for the team.
Back home, the Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association declared a further reward of Rs 3 crore. Board of Control for Cricket in India president Mithun Manhas also joined the celebrations and presented a cheque of Rs 5 crore to the team in recognition of their historic triumph in the Ranji Trophy.
While the historic victory in the Ranji Trophy is widely known, public awareness of the players behind the achievement remains limited. For many people, recognition is confined to a few prominent names, particularly fast bowler Aqib Nabi.
However, those closely following cricket emphasise that the success of the Jammu and Kashmir cricket team was not built around a few individuals but on a well-balanced combination of batters and bowlers. Members of the team themselves maintain that the triumph was the result of a collective effort, with every player contributing to the best of his ability.
The Leader
Though widely seen as a resident of Jammu, Paras Dogra was actually born in Palampur, Himachal Pradesh. The experienced cricketer played a central role in guiding the Jammu and Kashmir cricket team through a challenging campaign that culminated in their historic triumph in the Ranji Trophy.
Dogra has earned a reputation as a technically sound and mentally resilient top-order batter who has been playing cricket from the age of 12, inspired by his father, also a Ranji player.
During a long domestic career, Dogra, 41, represented Himachal Pradesh and Puducherry cricket teams, and also featured in the Indian Premier League for franchises including Rajasthan Royals, Punjab Kings, and Kolkata Knight Riders. In 2024, he joined the Jammu and Kashmir team.
“I am thankful for leading such wonderful people, and I am happy about it. To be honest, I am still trying to sink in our winning of the tournament,” the skipper told reporters after the win. “When I joined the Jammu and Kashmir team, I realised how talented the players were. Their ability and commitment helped the team reach here and win the title.”
The Batsmen
Srinagar resident Qamran Iqbal, 24, is the team’s top-order batsman. He made his debut in 2018 when he played for Jammu and Kashmir against Odisha.
As a teenager, Qamran participated in school tournaments and district-level competitions, always dreaming of following in his father’s footsteps. After performing well in Jammu and Kashmir’s U-19 and U-23 teams, he finally earned a place in the senior team.
Regarded as one of the most promising emerging batters, Qamran has a compact defensive technique, elegant stroke play, and the temperament suited for red-ball cricket. His batting has gradually helped strengthen the structure of the Jammu and Kashmir cricket team.
Interestingly, he was not part of the playing XI in the Ranji Trophy final. He was called in at the last moment after Shubham Khajuria suffered an injury.
Rising Talent
A resident of Bebehara, Yawer Hassan Khan, 22, has emerged as a promising top-order batter. At every level, he has consistently delivered performances beyond expectations.
Son of a college lecturer, Yawer is the youngest of three siblings. As his passion for cricket became evident early on, his family stood firmly behind him, encouraging and supporting his pursuit of the game.
Steady Batter
Shubham Singh Pundir, 28, is a middle-order batter who has honed his skills through rigorous training in local academies and participation in school-level tournaments. Known for his ability to play long innings, Pundir is particularly effective against pace bowling and can anchor the innings under pressure. He is a resident of Dehradun.
Power Hitter
Abdul Samad, 25, hails from Kalakote (Rajouri) but was raised and trained in Jammu city. A right-handed top-order batter and occasional leg-spin bowler, Samad is widely known for his explosive stroke play and fearless approach at the crease.
The son of an employee of the Department of Youth Services and Sports, Samad developed an early interest in outdoor games. His father recalls that the young cricketer showed an aggressive batting style from the beginning and quickly built a reputation as a powerful hitter.
Samad is among the few cricketers from Jammu and Kashmir to secure a place in the Indian Premier League. He was first picked by Sunrisers Hyderabad ahead of the 2020 season for his big-hitting ability and was later retained for the 2022–2024 cycle for Rs 4 crore. In 2025, he was signed by Lucknow Super Giants for Rs 4.2 crore.
Safe Hands
Kanhaiya Wadhawan, 26, is the team’s wicketkeeper and batter. A right-handed batter, Wadhawan impressed coaches early with his quick hands, alert keeping, and dependable batting. His performances soon caught the attention of selectors, leading to his debut for Jammu and Kashmir against Assam in 2018. In his very first season, he made headlines by scoring a double century.
Behind the stumps, Wadhawan is known for his agility and reliability, executing sharp stumpings and crucial catches that have often provided breakthroughs for the team. With the bat, he has also delivered important contributions at key moments. He was born, raised, and trained in Jammu city.
Spin All-Rounder
Abid Mushtaq, 29, has emerged as one of the region’s most impactful all-rounders in recent years. A resident of Bhaderwah, the left-arm spinner made his debut for the Jammu and Kashmir cricket team in the Ranji Trophy in 2019 against the Uttarakhand cricket team at Dehradun.
Growing up in a region with limited sporting facilities, Abid developed his cricketing skills on local grounds before progressing through district and state-level competitions. His talent was later noticed by former Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan, who recommended his inclusion at higher levels of domestic cricket.
Abid’s strength lies in his ability to extract sharp turns from different surfaces while maintaining disciplined lines, often troubling established domestic batters. His confident and fearless approach has made him a dependable performer in crucial matches.
His performances earned him a place in the Indian Premier League, where he was picked by Rajasthan Royals at a base price of Rs 20 lakh. Coming from a modest middle-class family, Abid’s journey has been marked by determination and strong family support. His father, who encouraged him to pursue cricket from childhood, passed away in 2024 and could not witness the team’s remarkable run to the Ranji Trophy final.
Opening Star
Shubham Pradeep Khajuria, 30, was born and raised in Jammu and has emerged as a top-order opening batsman. He made his Ranji Trophy debut in 2011 against the Maharashtra cricket team at Ratnagiri when he was barely 16.
Khajuria’s cricketing journey began at age nine, under the guidance of his father, Pradeep Khajuria, a headmaster and supporter of his early training. Despite a serious shoulder injury in 2014 that sidelined him for two years, Shubham bounced back to become a key run-scorer in domestic cricket. He also played professionally in England’s Ribblesdale League for Oswaldtwistle Immanuel Cricket Club.
Pace Star
Auqib Nabi Dar, 30, is a leading fast bowler of the team. Hailing from Baramulla, Auqib emerged as the star of the IDFC First Bank 91st Ranji Trophy, taking over 60 wickets and becoming the tournament’s highest wicket-taker. His performance was crucial to the team’s championship.
Growing up with limited facilities, Auqib often travelled to Srinagar for practice and even borrowed shoes to play. His father, Ghulam Nabi Dar, a school teacher, initially hoped Auqib would pursue medicine but supported his son’s cricketing ambitions. As the eldest of three siblings, Nabi’s perseverance and talent quickly stood out. He made his List A cricket debut in 2018 against the Haryana cricket team at Chennai.
In December 2025, Auqib made history at the Indian Premier League auction, securing an Rs 8.40 crore contract with Delhi Capitals, becoming the first cricketer from Kashmir to command such a high price in the world’s biggest T20 league.
Young Spinner
Vanshaj Yash Sharma, 23, hails from Bishnah in Jammu and is the team’s promising left-arm spinner. Sharma developed an early passion for cricket, playing with friends in his locality, and was supported by his family throughout his journey.
Discovered during a JKCA talent hunt in 2022, he quickly rose through the ranks and made his Ranji Trophy debut in February 2024 against the Puducherry cricket team, taking an extraordinary 10 wickets (five in each innings) in his first match, becoming the youngest player to achieve the feat. He is a good batter as well.
Spin Specialist
Sunil Ram Kumar, 29, has established himself as a reliable left-arm spinner and capable lower-order batsman for the Jammu and Kashmir team. Known for his accurate slow-left-arm orthodox bowling, Kumar made his T20 debut in 2022 against the New Chandigarh cricket team and his First-Class debut in 2025 against the Baroda cricket team at Vadodara, quickly making an impact in the domestic circuit.
Kumar has consistently impressed with his ability to maintain control, extract turns from helpful surfaces, and perform under pressure. His composure, precision, and match-winning spells have made him a pivotal figure in Jammu and Kashmir’s bowling attack.
Pace Ace
Yudhvir Singh Charak, 29, hails from Koteranka (Rajouri) but currently resides in Roop Nagar, Jammu. A right-arm medium-fast bowler, Yudhvir is known for his ability to generate bounce and maintain intensity under pressure, making him one of the region’s most dependable pacers.
Charak’s journey began in domestic U-19 cricket at the age of 16, and he made his First-Class debut in the Ranji Trophy for Hyderabad in 2019. His performances and skills earned him a place in the Indian Premier League, where he played for the Mumbai Indians in 2021, followed by Lucknow Super Giants in 2023 and Rajasthan Royals in 2025. His IPL experience sharpened his pace, variation, and composure, allowing him to consistently create pressure in the middle overs.
All-Rounder
Sahil Lotra, 28, is a right-arm off-break bowler and the team’s reliable all-rounder. From a young age, Lotra’s love for cricket drove him to compete at every level, gradually establishing himself in domestic cricket through disciplined bowling and a fighting spirit.
Born in the Patoli Brahmana area of Jammu, Lotra made his First-Class debut in December 2022 against Madhya Pradesh and has since become a dependable option for his captain, known for maintaining tight lines and extracting assistance from the pitch. Lotra contributes equally with the bat, combining technical skill with determination to influence matches at crucial moments.
Pulwama Express
Umar Nazir Ahmed Mir, 31, is from Malikpora (Pulwama) and is a tall right-arm seamer for his team, famously nicknamed the Pulwama Express. Beginning his cricketing journey on open fields with limited infrastructure, Umar’s natural height and bounce, combined with years of experience, have made him a key figure in the domestic circuit.
Umar runs a cricket academy in Pulwama to mentor the next generation. Coming from a middle-class family, he credits his journey to perseverance, role models in Kashmiri fast bowlers, and relentless practice, making him both a seasoned player and a guiding force for aspiring cricketers in the region.
Guiding Force
The historic Ranji Trophy win owes much to a coaching staff deeply invested in the team’s growth. Former cricketer Parvez Rasool credits the coaches for their detailed attention to player development and for transforming the overall standard of J&K cricket, giving special recognition to Bishan Singh Bedi for laying the foundational work that eventually produced this remarkable team.
At the helm was Ajay Sharma, a Delhi-based cricketer who brought a wealth of experience and technical insight to the team. A former Indian batsman with over 10,000 first-class runs, Sharma’s journey from Delhi’s competitive cricketing circuit to professional coaching is one of resilience and expertise. Appointed head coach in 2022, he has meticulously guided the team through rigorous net sessions, emphasising focus, positivity, and mental preparation.
Supporting him is Pudiyangum Kesavadasan Krishnakumar, born in Palakkad, Kerala, who serves as the bowling coach. A former Rajasthan all-rounder with a 16-year career, Kumar has brought his extensive experience to refine the team’s bowling attack, instilling discipline, technique, and strategy. He credits the players for executing plans on the field while highlighting the broader impact of their triumph: inspiring the next generation to dream big, work hard, and believe that with commitment and teamwork, nothing is impossible.
