Jammu and Kashmir clinch maiden Ranji Trophy title, fulfilling a long-cherished dream and marking redemption for coach Ajay Sharma.
Moments after Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) beat Bengal to qualify for their first-ever Ranji Trophy final, the victorious players hoisted their head coach, Ajay Sharma, on their shoulders. There were chants of ‘Ajju bhai’ around the circle. The special occasion took place a week later as they claimed their maiden title of India’s premier red-ball tournament, thanks to the first-innings lead in the drawn contest against Karnataka.
The Ranji Trophy 2025/26 final victory is the beginning of a new dawn for a region that has been impacted by political issues over the years. There will be celebrations in the streets of Srinagar, Jammu, Kargil, Baramulla, and other places. There is no shortage of talent even in the remote areas of India, and J&K’s road to glory has reflected the same.
J&K coach Ajay Sharma: Redemption from ‘Dictator’ to ‘Champion’
By the time J&K took the massive first-innings lead of 291 runs, the result was inevitable with less than two days to go. There were loads of messages and phone calls for a desired interview from their head coach Ajay, whose career was interrupted by the match-fixing scandal in 2000. All the cricket administrators reprimanded him in that period.
Ajay saw 15 years of his life slip away while fighting with the outside noise. In 2014, the Delhi High Court cleared him of all charges, but by then the spotlight had faded, and people had moved on. But a phone call changed his future.
The former JKCA administrator, Mithun Manhas, who debuted for Delhi under Ajay’s leadership, approached him to coach the J&K side. The former Delhi stalwart, who has scored over 10000 first-class runs at 67.46 with 38 centuries and 36 fifties, was serving the coaching role of the U19 side.
“In my playing days, we never considered J&K a serious team. I was on holiday in Thailand when Mithun called. I actually laughed. I had aspirations to be the Delhi senior coach. I thought, why not. Mithun said his dream was to see J&K do well in first-class cricket, and he promised his support,” Ajay recalled the first day of the coaching job while talking to the ‘Indian Express.’
It could have been a one-season end for the 61-year-old. The players, driven by the IPL dreams and T20 instincts, were upset with Ajay. His ‘headmaster’ methods didn’t sit well with some of the senior players in the squad. They even labelled him as a ‘dictator’ in the feedback forms.
That was the time when Ajay sought counsel from Anil Gupta, who is a retired brigadier on a BCCI-appointed sub-committee. Even his wife gave a vital suggestion to stop comparing the kids with the established players he grew up with in Delhi.
Read More: Test call up likely for rising J&K pacer Auqib Nabi?
Under Ajay Sharma, J&K take accountability and show right attitude
There was a massive shift in the attitude when J&K won a hard-fought contest in Nagpur over Vidarbha in December 2022. Abid Mushtaq returned with 8/18 to bundle out the home side for 101 in the 141-run fourth-innings chase. That was when the words of winning games started to go around the J&K dressing room.
Accountability of a particular moment also became a vital factor in Ajay’s coaching as they dropped Abdul Samad for throwing his wicket away against Mumbai. The backroom staff, including the bowling coach P Krishna Kumar and fielding coach Dishant Yagnik, followed the same direction. And once they got away wins in Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, and Mumbai, J&K were no longer a soft opponent.
Ajay, who is a Dogra by birth, featured in six Ranji finals for Delhi and lifted the trophy twice in 1985/86 and 1991/92. The former India player, Gursharan Singh, touched on Ajay’s tremendous footwork against spinners, something which the modern generation lacks.
“He made batting look effortless. Teams would plan just to get him out early because once he settled in, you didn’t want to bowl at him. His footwork against spinners should be studied. It was perfect. He was technically so sound. You don’t score 10,000 runs by accident,” Gursharan Singh mentioned while talking to The Print.
For the last two hours during the Ranji Trophy 2025/26 final, the camera was on the J&K coach at least once every 10 mins. And every time one of the two unbeaten batters, Qamran Iqbal and Sahil Lotra, played a glorious shot against the spinners, they got appreciation from their Ajju bhai.
Read More: Ranji Trophy 2025-26: Relative underdogs Uttarakhand, Jharkhand, J&K reach quarter-finals
Auqib Nabi and J&K complete Paras Dogra’s unprecedented dream
Paras Dogra’s words of ‘never thought to be here’ at the presentation ceremony echoed a different sentiment. With an average of 47.97 and over 10600 runs in FC cricket, Paras has given 15 years of his life to the domestic red-ball game. And March 28 was the red-letter day to reap the rewards. He contributed the second most runs (637) for the team in the winning campaign with four fifties and two centuries.
“I think it will take some time to describe what I’m feeling right now. I feel I’m very lucky that I got a group like this, I got an association like this, who just supported (us). And, to play with, to rub shoulders with these guys,” the 41-year-old said in the post-match presentation.
Abdul Samad finished as their leading run-getter of the season with 748 runs at 57.53, shouldering five fifties and one century. In the bowling department, the most highlighted figure remains Auqib Nabi Dar, who signed off as the highest wicket-taker of the season with 60 scalps at 12.56.
“I think I don’t overthink about results. I focus on my process. I don’t bowl just by looking at the batter – my focus is to hit the right areas consistently and get the batter out so that my team can win,” said Auqib, who celebrated three successive five-wicket hauls in the quarter-final, semifinal, and final.
When Royal Challengers Bengaluru finally won their first IPL trophy in 18 years, there were tears of joy. But for a domestic side from a region where politics have had a decisive impact – and one that had not lifted a major title for 67 years – this Ranji Trophy 2025/26 triumph will inspire an entire generation.
Their story is one of struggle. Struggles that provide the zeal and motivation to do better. And, J&K did it as a unit, pushing through struggles to eventually open the door to their first Ranji Trophy title. This day, henceforth, will remain etched in the memories of everyone associated with Jammu and Kashmir.
Top Twitter/X Reactions as Jammu & Kashmir won the Ranji Trophy 2025-26
The Kashmir willows have been a part of many champions’ kits. To see Jammu & Kashmir’s journey from being an enabler of champions, to becoming champions themselves, is beautiful.
— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) February 28, 2026
The season was built on consistency, resilience, and season-long excellence. Auqib Nabi’s impact…
Historic day for Jammu & Kashmir cricket. Having led UP to its first Ranji Trophy title, I know what this moment means to the players and the state. More players from J&K will now believe that they too can do it. #RanjiTrophyFinal
— Mohammad Kaif (@MohammadKaif) February 28, 2026
Such a heartwarming result in the Ranji Trophy final. This is the moment Jammu & Kashmir must have dreamt of for so long. And to do it against the might of Karnataka is even more special.
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) February 28, 2026
Congratulations to captain Paras Dogra and J&K team on winning the Ranji Trophy. Special kudos to Aquib Nabi whose outstanding bowling was crucial in this triumph and has brought him close to playing for India. All things considered, a monumental achievement! 👏👏
— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) February 28, 2026
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