The Jammu and Kashmir cricket team didn’t just lift the Ranji Trophy; they lifted the weight of 67 years of obscurity off their shoulders. The scenes of jubilation, Vanshaj Sharma raising his bat, Auqib Nabi embracing his teammates will be etched in memory not just for cricket, but for what they represent. The home-track bullies are gone. The champions have arrived. For decades, J&K cricket was viewed through a lens of sympathetic patronage. They were the team that fought hard in Srinagar but faded away on the flat decks of the plains. This 2025-26 season, however, witnessed a psychological metamorphosis. The team stopped hoping to compete and started demanding to win.

For over sixty years, the Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) cricket team was known as the punching bag of the league, starting their journey in 1959 but failing to win a single match for their first 23 years. With a historical record of 207 losses and only 46 wins across 335 matches, they were long considered the underdogs of Indian cricket, but a decade of transformation changed everything. The seeds of success were sown by legends like Bishan Singh Bedi, who taught the team to believe in themselves in 2011, and Irfan Pathan, who later traveled to remote villages to find raw talent. A historic win against giants Mumbai in 2014 proved they could compete with the best, and by the 2025-26 season, this hard work culminated in J&K reaching their first-ever Ranji Trophy final. Their journey from having no wins and poor infrastructure to becoming championship contenders is a powerful story of how grit and professional coaching can turn a struggling team into a national powerhouse.

Behind the scenes, the J&K team’s rise wasn’t just about talent, it was about cleaning up a messy house. For years, the local cricket association (JKCA) was stuck in politics and money troubles, but everything changed when leaders like Mithun Manhas and Brigadier Anil Gupta took over. They replaced chaos with a vision to win, sending scouts into remote mountain villages like Baramulla and Rajouri to find diamonds in the rough who had never even seen a professional stadium. To make sure these players could win anywhere in India, they built special red and black soil pitches, making J&K the only state in the north with such variety. Finally, they brought in a wise legend, 41-year-old Paras Dogra, to lead the team. With over 10,000 runs under his belt, Dogra acted like a big brother to the young players, teaching them how to stay calm under pressure. With better grounds, honest leadership, and a professional coaching staff, J&K stopped being a disorganized group and turned into a united, “red-ball” powerhouse ready for the history books.

The rise of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) cricket is led by a group of heroes who turned struggle into stardom. At the heart of this revolution is Auqib Nabi, the Baramulla Express. Growing up in a remote village, Auqib didn’t even know he needed spiked shoes for cricket trials and had to borrow a pair from a teammate. This season, he became a legend, taking a record-breaking 55 wickets and signing a massive Rs. 8.4 crore deal with the Delhi Capitals—the highest ever for a player from the region.

Then there is Abdul Samad from Rajouri, a fearless batter discovered by Irfan Pathan at age 16. Known for his power, Samad scored 655 runs this season and stood tall against world-class bowlers to lead J&K through a tense semi-final against Bengal. He was recently signed by Lucknow Super Giants for Rs. 4.2 crore.

But a team needs more than just two stars. Sunil Kumar, a left-arm bowler from Udhampur, took 29 crucial wickets, while 22-year-old Vanshaj Sharma became a local hero by hitting a massive six to seal J&K’s spot in their first-ever final. With the raw speed of Umran Malik (156.7 kph) and the wisdom of captain Paras Dogra, who has over 10,000 runs, this group has proven that talent can come from anywhere. From borrowed shoes to multi-crore contracts, these players are the face of a new, winning J&K.

J&K cricket made history in 2025-26, defeating powerhouses like Delhi and Bengal to reach their first final in 67 years. Led by Auqib Nabi’s match-winning bowling and inspired by stars Umran Malik and Rasikh Salam, the team transformed into road warriors, showing local youth that their dreams are within reach.The rise of J&K cricket started with one man: Parvez Rasool. As the first player from the state to play for India in 2014, he proved that the “impossible” was possible. Today, he remains a mentor to the new generation, but the revolution has now expanded to include the women of the valley.

Even with all their success, the road for J&K cricket is still bumpy. In many villages, young kids still practice on rough jute mats instead of professional grass pitches. There are still debates about fair funding and better facilities for everyone. However, the Himalayan feat of reaching the 2026 Ranji final has changed the game forever. The secret to this success wasn’t just talent, it was a new pro mindset. By hiring expert coaches and building professional red and black soil pitches, J&K finally leveled the playing field with big cities like Mumbai. Seeing local stars like Umran Malik and Abdul Samad on TV created a belief cycle. Now, every kid bowling in the streets of Srinagar or Jammu knows that the IPL and the Indian team are within reach.

Their greatest edge, however, is their mental toughness. Growing up in a region with so many challenges has made these players fearless under pressure. As they walked into the stadium in Hubballi for the final against Karnataka, they were no longer the “small team” or the “underdogs.” They were a united powerhouse. And they lifted the trophy, proving that with a clear vision and a lot of heart, even the most remote corners can produce national champions.

© Greater Kashmir