Summary of this article
Ravi Shastri praised J&K’s maiden Ranji Trophy win, calling it a fairy-tale moment for domestic cricket
J&K beat Karnataka in the 2025–26 Ranji Trophy final, winning on a 291-run first-innings lead after scoring 584
Shastri termed it the week’s most heart-warming cricket story despite the T20 World Cup buzz
Former Indian cricketer and coach Ravi Shastri has poured praise on the Jammu & Kashmir cricket team after their stunning victory in the 2025–26 Ranji Trophy, describing their maiden title win as one of the most heart-warming stories in Indian cricket this season.
The Ranji Trophy campaign concluded on February 28, 2026, with J&K ending decades of near-misses by claiming the prestigious title against eight-time champions Karnataka in Hubballi.
The team secured a massive first-innings lead, ensuring the championship when the match ended in a draw. This marked the first time in their history that the side lifted India’s premier first-class trophy.
However, in the same week, India's national cricket team registered one of the historic win in the T20 World Cup history by beating the West Indies to secure their place in the semi-final. But the former India cricketer believes that J&K's maiden Ranji Trophy victory deserves to be the best cricketing moment in the recent time.
Shastri’s Full Tribute: ‘What a journey, what a story’
Shastri’s full statement celebrated not just the result but the manner in which J&K traversed a challenging path to glory. “As the World Cup moves into the business end, with all eyes on the big stage… the most heart-warming story of last week came from elsewhere. Jammu & Kashmir lifting the Ranji Trophy for the very first time. Let that sink in. What a journey. What a story,” he wrote.
He specifically highlighted the leadership of Paras Dogra and coach Ajay Sharma, applauding the team’s grit, self-belief and fearless attitude, traits that helped them knock over heavyweight sides on the road to the title. “No shortcuts. Just hard cricket and big hearts,” Shastri added, emphasising the emotional weight of their breakthrough success
J&K's Magnificent Batting Display
Opting to bat first, J&K piled up a massive 584 in their first innings, led by Shubham Pundir’s century (121) and crucial contributions from Yawer Hassan. Their bowlers then skittled Karnataka for 293, securing a huge 291-run first-innings lead, a decisive advantage in the five-day encounter that ultimately decided the championship.
With an impregnable lead, J&K declared their second innings at 342/4, featuring a brilliant 160 not out from Qamran Iqbal and a stand-out 101 not out by Sahil Lotra, stretching their dominance.
Karnataka were unable to force a result on the final day, and the match ended in a draw, ensuring that J&K were crowned champions on the strength of their first-innings superiority, a rare but celebrated way to win in first-class cricket.
