Ranji Trophy final: Karnataka eye glory; J&K chase history

Hubballi, Tuesday: Eight-time champions Karnataka begin their 15th Ranji Trophy final at the KSCA Rajnagar Stadium chasing a slice of redemption, while first-time finalists Jammu & Kashmir arrive with nothing to lose and history to make. The clash, starting under a scorching North Karnataka sun, pits pedigree against pluck, experience against exuberance.

Karnataka’s narrative is steeped in recent memory. A decade ago, KL Rahul, Karun Nair, Mayank Agarwal and Shreyas Gopal powered the state to back-to-back titles in 2013-14 and 2014-15. Three of the quartet have since worn India whites; Shreyas, the all-round stalwart still awaiting national recognition, remains the elder statesman of this squad. Around him, skipper Devdutt Padikkal and a clutch of 22-and-under prodigies—many of whom were playing inter-school cricket during that last championship run—now shoulder the responsibility of restoring Karnataka to the summit.

The home side’s season appeared to be unravelling until a breathtaking 250-run chase in 28 overs against Punjab in their final league fixture flipped the script. Wins over Mumbai and Uttarakhand in the knock-outs have since carried momentum into the final. Left-hander R Smaran has been the batting bedrock, compiling 950 runs including an unbeaten 227 against Chandigarh at this very ground. With four Test batters in the line-up, wicketkeeper-batter Kruthik Krishna and medium-pacer Vidhyadhar Patil lengthening the order, runs are expected. Prasidh Krishna’s international exposure will be crucial in orchestrating a bowling unit that must find answers to J&K’s new-ball intensity.

Jammu & Kashmir, coached by Ajay Sharma and led by 39-year-old warhorse Paras Dogra, have gate-crashed the elite bracket through disciplined cricket. Aquib Nabi, the 55-wicket spearhead, has tormented top orders all season and demonstrated his batting chops with a century and a dogged 42 in the semi-final against Bengal. Left-arm quick Sunil Kumar (29 wickets) and left-arm spinner Abid Mushtaq (26 wickets) provide control and variation. Abdul Samad’s 655 runs, Dogra’s late-career renaissance and Kanhaiya Wadhawan’s solidity have lent respectability to a batting card often questioned in heavier climes.

Yet the visitors landed in Hubballi with fresh fitness clouds. Opener Shubham Khajuria was stretchered off after a lower-back spasm on match eve, and all-rounder Vanshaj Sharma twisted an ankle during warm-up. Karnataka, by contrast, breathed easier after captain Padikkal declared himself fit despite a split webbing sustained in the semi-final.

The pitch, expected to take turn from day two, could tempt both sides to stack their XIs with spinners, adding another layer of intrigue. On paper, Karnataka own two wins from four previous meetings with J&K, but numbers dissolve when a trophy is at stake and one side carries the fearlessness of the unheralded.

By the time the sun sets on day five, either Karnataka will have added a ninth title to their glittering cabinet or Jammu & Kashmir will have carved a fairytale that resonates far beyond the Himalayas. History or new history—Hubballi is the stage where one of those tales will be written.