Kalyani (West Bengal): With nine emotive words, Jammu and Kashmir’s inspirational captain Paras Dogra encapsulated his 24-year grind, which also mirrored the team’s incredible underdog story.
Under his leadership, J&K defied odds to enter their maiden Ranji Trophy final with a six-wicket win over two-time champions Bengal here on Wednesday.
“Cricket tests you far more than it rewards you,” he said after helping the team to its first Ranji final after sixty-seven years of wait.
“We just have to be stubborn. he added.
The 41-year-old skipper’s words were a reflection of not just the match but a career built on resilience in a season in which he has helped transform a side considered “underdogs” for the longest time.
After beginning with Himachal Pradesh in 2001, Dogra turned out for Pondicherry from 2018-19 to 2023-24, and then moved to Jammu and Kashmir ahead of the 2024-25 season, embracing yet another challenge late in his career.
Since his debut in 2001, he has amassed 10,517 runs in 152 first-class matches at an average of over 48, with 34 centuries and 36 half-centuries, including a career-best 253.
A former India ‘A’ batter who featured in unofficial Tests against West Indies ‘A’ in 2013, Dogra has been one of domestic cricket’s most consistent run-getters.
At J&K, he walked into a dressing room seeking belief and this season, that belief turned into history.
“We have to keep going. So, God has written that we will play in the final,” he said after Jammu and Kashmir made the final, ending a 67-year wait since making their debut in 1959-60.
During the semifinal, Dogra also became only the second batter after Wasim Jaffer to cross 10,000 Ranji Trophy runs.
“Kabhi socha nahin tha (never thought I will get to this milestone). Khelna pasand hai, baaki uparwala ne 10,000 run bana diya (I just love playing and by the grace of God I could make 10,000), so I’m really very happy,” he said.
Calling the landmark special but secondary to the team goal, he credited his colleagues and support staff for keeping him motivated at the fag end of his career.
“Thank you very much for that. It felt good. I never thought I would do this. But I love this game. I just like to play.”
“Definitely, I am very happy and I am also very happy that I got to play with such amazing guys. The coaching staff. The management. They are supporting me in everything.
“So, I think we have been talking about it from the first day, so, hopefully we will do it.”
J&K had conceded a 26-run first-innings lead after being bowled out for 302, but Dogra insisted there was no panic in the dressing room.
“There was still two-and-a-half-days game was left so the lead of 26 runs doesn’t matter that much.
“Because it was a five-day game. So, we were still positive. That we will chase as many runs as possible. But we were not expecting that Bengal will fold so quickly.”
Asked if the result had sunk in, he said: “Yes, it has sunk in, we were in a good position. So, yes, definitely.”
Dogra also hailed the importance of Abdul Samad’s counterattacking 82 in the first innings after J&K had slipped to 13 for three.
“Three wickets fell early. Samad is always positive. So, when you play with him, you don’t have to worry about the runs. So, it was like that, just stay with him and because of that, I scored runs too.”
Keeping it in channel: Nabi’s mantra
Auqib Nabi, who followed up his 12-wicket haul in the quarterfinal with nine scalps in the semifinal besides a crucial 42 at No. 9, kept things simple: to put the ball in the channel.
“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,” Nabi said.
“I have my own area, I stick to that. I don’t think much about the rest.”
On staying positive after conceding the lead, Nabi added: “We were positive throughout because we restricted Bengal well in the first inning as well. If you look at the last match, there were 600-650 runs scored here.”
“So we were positive that we will put the ball in good areas and we will restrict them and then will chase them out quickly.”
He was also asked about his 64-run 10th wicket partnership with Yudhvir Singh.
“We work a lot on batting as well lower down the order. In the entire season, the last 4-5 players add up to 100-200. So we work a lot on that as well.”
One bad session cost us: Abhimanyu
Bengal skipper Abhimanyu Easwaran admitted the match slipped from their grasp in a single passage of play as they folded for 99 in 25.1 overs on day three.
“After taking the first innings lead, we were ahead in the game. But second innings, we didn’t bat well. They bowled really well,” said Abhimanyu
“We should have had a good couple of partnerships and taken the game away. But we couldn’t do that. That’s why the game went away, I felt.”
“Yeah, a lot of positives. But I think we just fell short in one session where the game went away.”
“There’s always thoughts like this that we could have got 350-400. But that’s gone now.”
He picked Sudip Kumar Gharami’s superb run and old warhorse Mohammed Shami’s relentless bowling as key takeaways.
“I think the way Gharami has been batting, especially in the quarterfinals and the semifinals, has been amazing to get almost a triple 100 and then 150 (146) in this game. It was tremendous.
“Shami Bhai has bowled his heart out throughout the season. Getting eight wickets on a pitch like this is never easy. But he’s bowled his heart out for the team every time he’s had the ball in his hand.”
