Tennis Balls to Triumph: J&K's Ranji Glory in Hubballi
From Compound Walls to Historic Cup in Karnataka's Heartland
In Hubballi, where the sun baked the Karnataka soil, Jammu & Kashmir scripted history, clinching their maiden Ranji Trophy title against a star-studded Karnataka side boasting five international veterans. Captain Paras Dogra's boys drew the final on first-innings lead, with Auqib Nabi's 5/54 dismantling Mayank Agarwal and KL Rahul, Qamran Iqbal's unbeaten 160 sealing the deal before a 5,000-strong crowd. "Our boys play before lakhs in local ties," Dogra grinned, brushing off the pressure.
Back in 2016, pacer Samiullah Beigh bowled tennis balls against his house wall amid Burhan Wani unrest's 53-day curfew, a grim routine echoing 2008 riots, 2010 shutdowns, 2014 floods, and 2019's Article 370 fallout. No pre-season nets, scrapped trials—J&K cricketers turned up raw. Bishan Singh Bedi's 2010 coaching ignited fire: near-miss vs Sehwag's Delhi, quarters in 2013-14, Mumbai scalp in 2014-15, birthing IPL stars like Umran Malik, Abdul Samad, Rasikh Dar.
Passion pulses fierce. September 2025, Pulwama halted for a local floodlit clash, roads jammed, police clearing paths—30,000 from Valley nooks. Srinagar's Eidgahs swarm with kids Fridays, Sundays, bat-ball pure joy, no IPL dreams. "No hope," Beigh laments. Schools lack turf, pros; matting rules. U-19 shocks raw talent; Ranji exposes gaps. One JKCA turf in Srinagar, corruption-riddled admin ties hands.
Qamran Iqbal, rushed post-Khajuria injury, flew in 3pm, batted dawn: "Effort of boys, coaches, admins—Mithun sir, Ajay Sharma's focus, seniors Paras bhaiya, Shubham. Auqib exceptional."
Omar Abdullah jetted to Hubballi final day, beaming premature cheers; father Farooq Abdullah, ex-JKCA president, prayed victory, hailing the run as pride beyond divides. Waheed ur Rahman Para tweeted unity: Hindus-Muslims, one badge transcending fractures.
Yet Beigh warns: no academies, zonal camps, BCCI oversight—win fades sans infra. Mentally toughest, Kashmiris cling hope's ray, from compounds to Hubballi cup. Triumph momentary; build or bust.
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