Ranji Trophy final: Shubham, Yawer help J & K take opening day’s honours

Jammu and Kashmir shines on day one of the Ranji Trophy final, ending at 284 for two against Karnataka.

The Jammu and Kashmir dressing room this season has had a revolving door of stars. On day one of its maiden Ranji Trophy final, versus Karnataka at the KSCA Rajnagar Stadium here on Tuesday, it found two more entrants in opener Yawer Hassan and one-drop Shubham Pundir.

Yawer, 22, had totalled just 61 runs from eight innings coming into this all-important contest. Shubham, 27, had fared better with 205 runs —including one solitary knock of 165 — from five visits to the crease.

But Yawer made a fine 88 (150b, 13x4) before Shubham scored his fourth First Class century (117 batting, 221b, 12x4, 2x6) to help the visitors reach a more-than-healthy 284 for two. At stumps, Shubham had the free-stroking Abdul Samad (52 batting, 67b, 5x4, 1x6) standing vigil alongside.

Yawer Hassan missed out on a century. | Photo Credit: K. MURALI KUMAR

J & K lost the seasoned Shubham Khajuria and young all-rounder Vanshaj Sharma to injuries prior to the match. Skipper Paras Dogra retired hurt after speedsters Prasidh Krishna and V. Vyshak roughed him up on the neck and right hand, respectively. In that context, Yawer’s and Shubham’s efforts came like a godsend.

It was, admittedly, a good batting surface and Dogra called it right at the toss. It also helped that despite possessing a formidable attack that was cheered on by a nearly 5,000-strong, ticketed crowd, Karnataka used the red cherry well only in patches.