Jammu & Kashmir put Karnataka through the wringer again as it reached 527 for six at stumps on day two of the 2025-26 Ranji Trophy final at the KSCA Rajnagar Stadium here on Wednesday.

It wasn’t a display of unqualified control and superiority but more like how weaver ants are super-efficient in their team work.

There were half-centuries for skipper Paras Dogra (70, 166b, 8×4), Kanhaiya Wadhawan (70, 109b, 9×4) and Sahil Lotra (57 batting, 93b, 7×4) as J & K added 243 runs to its overnight total before a combination of bad light and a drizzle brought an end to the proceedings 40 minutes before scheduled close.

Jammu and Kashmir’s Kanhaiya Wadhawan in action on the second day of the Ranji Trophy Elite 2025-26 final against Karnataka at the KSCA Rajnagar Stadium in Hubballi, on February 25, 2026. 
| Photo Credit:
K. MURALI KUMAR

The morning began under partially cloudy skies and the previous night’s rain appeared to have rendered the outfield a tad sluggish. The Karnataka bowlers kept it tight, not allowing a boundary for nearly 40 minutes, as V. Vyshak bowled four straight maidens.

Though Abdul Samad pulled Vyshak for a four, it was far from pressure-releasing. Centurion Shubham Pundir (121, 247b, 12×4, 2×6) and Samad (61, 104b, 6×4, 1×6) fell in the span of seven balls, with the former caught at square-leg off Vidyadhar Patil and the latter edging Prasidh Krishna behind.

Jammu and Kashmir’s Sahil Lotra after scoring his half-century on the second day of the Ranji Trophy Elite 2025-26 final against Karnataka at the KSCA Rajnagar Stadium in Hubballi, on February 25, 2026. 
| Photo Credit:
K. MURALI KUMAR

Dogra, who had retired hurt on Tuesday, came in at 307 for four and the Karnataka pacers resumed their ploy of peppering him with bouncers. The close-in fielders joined in by being chirpy and even succeeded in provoking Dogra into head-butting substitute K.V. Aneesh — albeit, ever-so-slightly — at silly-point.

But the experienced man soon cleared the fog that had settled over his head and combined for 73 runs with Wadhawan to take J & K to 380 for four at lunch. Similar to the first day, Karnataka’s intensity dropped at an inopportune time, as Dogra and Wadhawan collected a series of fours through cover, backward-point and wide of the slip fielders.

However, Wadhawan fell trying one too many, as K.L. Rahul at slip latched on to a dab after a juggle. Dogra’s day, though, continued to be eventful when a bouncer from Vidyadhar ricocheted off his helmet, hit the stumps but couldn’t dislodge the bails.

Luck finally ran out when a defensive stroke to Shreyas Gopal ended with the cherry crashing into his stumps after bouncing off the ground.

Jammu and Kashmir’s captain Paras Dogra vainly tries to stop the ball from dislodging the bails off the bowling of Karnataka’s Shreyas Gopal, on the second day of the Ranji Trophy Elite 2025-26 final at the KSCA Rajnagar Stadium in Hubballi, on February 25, 2026.
| Photo Credit:
K. MURALI KUMAR

Amidst this chaos, Lotra kept his head, reaching an unbeaten 57, his first half-century of the season. A few more runs on Thursday will leave Karnataka with a mountain to climb in a final where the first-innings lead is seemingly all important now.

The scores: Jammu & Kashmir — 1st innings: Qamran Iqbal c Rahul b Prasidh 6, Yawer Hassan c Rahul b Prasidh 88, Shubham Pundir c sub (Aneesh) b Vidyadhar 121, Paras Dogra b Shreyas 70, Abdul Samad c Kruthik b Prasidh 61, Kanhaiya Wadhawan c Rahul b Shikhar 70, Sahil Lotra (batting) 57, Abid Mushtaq (batting) 20; Extras (b-14, lb-16, w-4): 34; Total (for six wkts. in 156 overs): 527.

Fall of wickets: 1-18, 2-157, 3-303, 4-307, 5-417, 6-471.

Karnataka bowling: Vidyadhar 29-2-104-1, Vyshak 31-10-60-0, Prasidh 29-7-90-3, Shreyas 33-2-130-1, Shikhar 32-1-112-1, Karun 2-1-1-0.

Published – February 25, 2026 08:08 pm IST

Shubham Pundir (PTI Photo)

A superb unbeaten century from Shubham Pundir and a gritty 88 by youngster Yawer Hassan put Jammu & Kashmir firmly in command on the opening day of the Ranji Trophy final, as they closed at 284 for two against Karnataka on Tuesday.The 27-year-old left-hander Pundir remained unbeaten on 117 at stumps, with Abdul Samad providing solid support on 52. The pair added an unbroken 105 runs for the third wicket after captain Paras Dogra was forced to retire hurt.

Earlier, Pundir and Yawer laid the platform with a crucial 139-run partnership for the second wicket against the eight-time champions, whose batters traditionally enjoy success at this venue.Pundir brought up his century in emphatic fashion, launching Shikhar Shetty over deep mid-wicket for six. He celebrated by taking off his helmet and raising his arms toward the dressing room.On a surface expected to deteriorate as the match progresses, Jammu & Kashmir made the right call at the toss. Dogra elected to bat first, a predictable decision given the conditions.Playing their maiden Ranji Trophy final after an impressive knockout run that included away wins over Madhya Pradesh and Bengal, J&K suffered an early setback when Qamran Iqbal (6) fell cheaply.The opener edged a delivery from Prasidh Krishna that straightened slightly, with KL Rahul completing a straightforward catch in the slips. A lack of footwork contributed to the dismissal.However, J&K’s decision to bat first was justified by Yawer and Pundir, who guided the side to 104 for one at lunch. Yawer was unbeaten on 57 at the break, while Pundir was on 38, as they handled Karnataka’s experienced attack with composure.Conditions were challenging, with several plays and misses and a few fortunate edges, but the duo negotiated the new ball effectively. While not always fluent, they rotated strike steadily at around three runs per over, building a substantial partnership.Karnataka’s bowlers — three pacers and leg-spinner Shreyas Gopal — maintained disciplined lines and lengths but found little reward. Gopal, who entered the final as the season’s leading wicket-taker with 55 scalps, beat the bat on multiple occasions. Yet Yawer and Pundir ensured he never settled into a rhythm.The 22-year-old Yawer, who made his First-Class debut in Rohit Sharma’s final red-ball appearance in 2025 and had gone nine matches without a half-century, rose to the occasion with a determined innings featuring 13 boundaries.Just when he appeared set for a maiden hundred, Yawer fell to Prasidh Krishna, edging outside off-stump to KL Rahul at first slip — a dismissal similar to Qamran’s earlier in the day.Before claiming the wicket, Prasidh had tested Yawer with a sharp bouncer that struck him on the body and required medical attention.Dogra too endured a blow when a Prasidh bouncer struck him on the neck. The seamer appealed for a catch at forward short-leg, suspecting a glove deflection, but replays confirmed there was no contact. Though cleared of the dismissal, Dogra needed treatment and was attended to by the physio.After receiving multiple blows and further assessment from the team staff, Dogra eventually walked off following a signal from coach Ajay Sharma, paving the way for Abdul Samad to join Pundir.From there, Pundir and Samad batted comfortably, extending their partnership past the hundred mark and firmly consolidating Jammu & Kashmir’s position at the end of an absorbing opening day.

BENGALURU: An SOS call from a Karnataka teammate a month ago prompted KL Rahul to join the former champions for their final Ranji Trophy league match against Punjab, as the side faced a must-win clash in Mohali after a heavy home defeat to Madhya Pradesh left them close to elimination.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Rahul was initially expected to link up only for the knockouts, but he advanced his return ahead of the Punjab fixture. In three matches, he has scored 457 runs, including two centuries and two half-centuries, at an average of 91.40.

His contribution extended beyond runs. In a dressing room that included five Test players, Rahul was the most experienced, and his calm authority, clarity of thought and willingness to engage with younger teammates added a different dimension to Karnataka’s campaign. Head coach Yere Goud pointed to Rahul’s influence within the squad. “Rahul has made a huge impact. We have young players like R Smaran and KV Aneesh, and he talks to them about handling certain situations. So him being there has given confidence,” Goud said.As Karnataka head into the Ranji Trophy final against Jammu and Kashmir in Hubballi starting Tuesday, the team will draw on Rahul’s consistency and record in previous title wins. He has struck tons in the last two finals that Karnataka have won.Players said Rahul’s everyday conversations left a mark, with many having watched his rise from age-group cricket to becoming an all-format international. Earlier this season, when he played a couple of Vijay Hazare Trophy matches, younger players described the experience as surreal.Wicketkeeper-batter Kruthik Krishna said Rahul’s versatility and approach offered invaluable lessons. “There’s so much to learn from him. He has done everything possible as a batter, opening, batting at No 6 or No 7, and he is also a keeper. So having him is a boost. I can learn how to plan and shape my innings, and that’s irrespective of the performance. That simplifies your game a lot rather than you thinking about the pitch, the opposition and all of that. I’ve had a lot of conversations with him,” Kruthik said.For younger cricketers, exposure to Rahul’s preparation methods and mental approach proved valuable, with an emphasis on temperament, understanding phases of a game, reading match situations and responding rather than reacting.Among those learning was the season’s top run-getter, R Smaran, who has logged 950 runs so far. He said Rahul’s guidance extended across formats. “We’ve had a lot of conversations about how you can go about the game, not only in the Ranji Trophy but also in the shorter formats. We were really glad that we had him in the team for a couple of matches during the Vijay Hazare as well,” Smaran said, adding with a smile, “Till the time that we have him in the Karnataka dressing room, I would like to keep picking his brains.”Smaran said Rahul shared inputs with players across roles. “He’s the kind of guy who prioritises the state when he’s playing for us. He has a lot of inputs to give to youngsters in the team, be it a bowler, keeper or batter.”

Jammu and Kashmir’s Auqib Nabi celebrates with teammates after taking a wicket vs Bengal. (PTI Photo)

KALYANI: One clean swing, one red ball sailing into the stands, and a 67-year wait came to an end. The moment Vanshaj Sharma launched Bengal pacer Mukesh Kumar for six, J&K players, support staff and officials poured onto the field at the Bengal Cricket Academy ground here on Wednesday. Their celebratory roar could probably be heard all the way to the Himalayan state.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!With that hit, J&K sealed its first-ever spot in the final of the Ranji Trophy, India’s premier domestic red-ball cricket event. Once famous for the Kashmir willow, J&K is etching a chapter of its own in the annals of Indian cricket.

The result, a 6-wicket win, was emphatic, even though there were moments when the match appeared to be slipping away. Set 126 for victory, the team completed the chase in 34.4 overs, getting it done before lunch on Day 4.“I have played the Ranji final a number of times. But this time, it’s different. I had not slept for the last three nights. Today I will sleep well,” an elated coach Ajay Sharma, once a stalwart of the domestic scene for Delhi, said.As history beckoned, J&K began Day 4 within touching distance, only 83 runs away, yet Bengal came hard at them. Akash Deep, already among the wickets, struck twice to remove Shubham Khajuria and Yawer Hassan, then returned to send back skipper Paras Dogra.Mohammed Shami, relentless as ever, bowled Shubham Pundir to briefly widen the doorway for a comeback. But Abdul Samad and Sharma shut it with authority with an unbeaten 55-run fifth-wicket partnership that carried J&K to the line without another stumble. Samad’s unbeaten 30 off 27 balls, studded with three sixes, provided the finishing fire. Sharma’s 43 not out off 83 balls supplied the composure.The semifinal had turned on J&K’s refusal to panic after conceding a first-innings lead. Bengal piled up 328, powered by Sudip Kumar Gharami’s superb 146, and then had J&K out for 302 in reply, with Shami ripping through the innings with 8/90. Yet J&K stayed within reach through Samad’s counter-attacking 82, Dogra’s 58 and valuable lower-order runs that kept the deficit to 26.Few might have expected J&K to flip that deficit into a ticket to the final. But Sharma insisted the belief never wavered. “I told the boys that the match is not over. We have two more days. Cricket always gives you a second chance. Red-ball cricket is a dangerous game,” the 61-year-old Sharma said.Day 3 delivered the match’s decisive lurch. Bengal, under pressure, collapsed for 99 in just 25.1 overs. Sunil Kumar grabbed 4/27 and Auqib Nabi — the breakout fast bowler this season — took 4/36 to complete a match haul of 9/123, also chipping in with 42 with the bat earlier. Dogra underlined how quickly the equation changed. “That was not a significant lead (26 runs) and we still had seven sessions of play. But of course we never expected them (Bengal) to fold so cheaply,” he said. The final will carry personal meaning for Dogra, a veteran who crossed 10,000 Ranji runs during this match and now finds himself within a game of the trophy that has eluded him. “It will be big for me. My first Ranji final too. I never thought that I would get such a good group of players,” Dogra said, adding: “There was belief in everyone from the beginning of the season that we can win the Ranji Trophy.”Both Dogra and Sharma could not stop talking about pacer Nabi. “He is a match-winner for us,” Dogra said. “He has good work ethics and has been disciplined.” Coach Sharma believes bigger things are not far away for the 29-year-old from Baramulla. “Age is on his side and he has developed the skill set. He will play the IPL (for Delhi Capitals) and if he performs there, the sky’s the limit for him,” Sharma said.The final is next, and J&K have earned the right to dream all the way.Brief scores: J&K 302 (Samad 82, Shami 8-90) & 126/4 (Vanshaj 43, Samad 30*, Akash Deep 3-46) beat Bengal 328 (Gharami 146, Nabi 5-87) & 99 (Shahbaz 24, Sunil 4-27, Nabi 4-36) by 6 wicketsMEN BEHIND THE MILESTONE: THE TEAM’S KEY PERFORMERSAuqib Nabi: The medium-pacer took 12 wickets (7/40 & 5/70) against MP in the quarterfinal, and 9 (5/87 & 4/36) in the semifinal. Nabi has a 8.4cr IPL deal with Delhi Capitals. Will an India Test call-up follow? Matches This Season: 9, Wkts: 55, Avg: 12.7, Economy Rate: 2.7, Strike Rate: 28.5Sunil Kumar: The left-arm medium-pacer has been the perfect foil to Nabi. His 3/41 & 4/27 in the semis proved crucial. Matches: 8, Wkts: 29, Avg: 15.1, ER: 2.6, SR: 34.9Abdul Samad: The middle-order batter’s composure under pressure has seen him pull off several rescue acts. In the semis, he first slammed 82, then scored an unbeaten 30 off 27 balls to finish a tricky chase. Matches: 9, Runs: 655, Avg: 59.5Paras Dogra: The skipper has led with both bat and tactical acumen. Fittingly, the 41-yr-old has become only the 2nd batter to cross 10,000 runs in the Ranji Trophy. Matches: 9, Runs: 551, Avg: 42.4

KL Rahul produced a commanding century to guide Karnataka to a memorable four-wicket win over 42-time champions Mumbai, sealing a place in the Ranji Trophy semifinals on Monday. Chasing a challenging target of 325 in their quarterfinal at the Mumbai Cricket Association’s Bandra Kurla Complex, Karnataka leaned on Rahul’s class and composure. The India batter struck his 24th first-class hundred, scoring 130 from 182 deliveries, laced with 14 fours and a six, to anchor the chase.

Rahul found strong support in Ravichandran Smaran, and the pair put together a crucial 147-run partnership for the fourth wicket on the penultimate day of the match. Their stand took Karnataka into a position of control, with the visitors reaching 265 for three by the lunch interval. Rahul’s innings ended shortly after the break when he was dismissed by Tushar Deshpande, briefly reviving Mumbai’s hopes. Deshpande and Tanush Kotian then picked up two more wickets to reduce Karnataka to 285 for six, still 40 runs short of victory. However, Smaran held his nerve under pressure. The 22-year-old remained unbeaten on a composed 83 from 123 balls, hitting 11 boundaries, and saw Karnataka through to the finish. Vidyadhar Patil eventually struck the winning run, completing a significant victory for the eight-time champions. Rahul, 33, celebrated his century with little fuss, raising his bat briefly before resuming his focus. He reached the landmark by guiding Kotian through the off side for four. Since joining Karnataka late in the group stage, Rahul’s presence has proved vital, following a first-innings fifty against Punjab earlier in the tournament. Karnataka will now face Uttarakhand in the semifinal in Bengaluru next week.