From the valley to the pinnacle of domestic cricket — the J & K story Premium

Explore Jammu & Kashmir's inspiring journey to the pinnacle of domestic cricket, showcasing their grit, talent, and historic Ranji Trophy victory.

The location: absolutely picturesque. The people: warm and cordial. The culture: vibrant. But that’s precisely where the niceties dissolve. Confront them on an unforgiving 22-yard strip, and the warmth hardens into will, the smiles fade into steely stare-downs.

Ask domestic powerhouse and 42-time champion Mumbai. Ask two-time titleholder Rajasthan. Ask two-time winner Hyderabad. Ask five-time titlist Madhya Pradesh. Ask former title holder, Bengal. Now include eight-time powerhouse Karnataka.

Each will narrate a different battle. Different sessions seized. Defining moments wrested away. Yet the conclusion remains chillingly consistent — Jammu and Kashmir are fierce, relentless, and unapologetically serious about their craft. Now perched at the summit of the nation’s premier red-ball competition — the Ranji Trophy — they stand tall, composed, and commanding after overpowering Karnataka’s celebrated batting unit in the final. From the valleys to the pinnacle of Indian domestic cricket, they have earned their place at the top. Every remarkable journey needs heroes — and for J & K, they have come in numbers. Meet the protagonists. The men on the field, and just as importantly off it, who have crafted this story to near perfection.

Auqib Nabi: The Baramulla Express has been central to J & K’s historic triumph. Over the past two seasons, 2024-25 and 2025-26, he has derailed one side after another, establishing himself as the spearhead of a team that had never previously reached the top four in any competition.

Auqib Nabi finished as the leading wicket-taker with 60 scalps. | Photo Credit: K. MURALI KUMAR

He hasn’t merely been effective; he has transformed J & K’s bowling identity. In the final at Hubballi, Nabi rose to the grandest stage. He dismissed accomplished Test batters K.L. Rahul and Karun Nair with deliveries of the highest quality — both pitched on a probing length, kissed the seam, and shaped away just enough. Rahul could only feather a faint edge, while Nair’s furniture disturbed as he stood momentarily stunned. Nabi wasn’t done. He went on to claim three more wickets, including the home side’s lone centurion, Mayank Agarwal and leading run-scorer R. Smaran, effectively breaking the backbone of Karnataka’s resistance.