J & K’s triumph
When Jammu and Kashmir lifted the Ranji Trophy this season, it was not merely a cricket result; it was a quiet rewriting of a national narrative.
When Jammu and Kashmir lifted the Ranji Trophy this season, it was not merely a cricket result; it was a quiet rewriting of a national narrative.
Amid high expectations of Jammu and Kashmir making a maiden clinch of the Ranji Trophy, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday flew to Hubli to cheer for the UT’s cricket team that will play the finals with Karnataka.
Former India captain Sourav Ganguly lauded Jammu and Kashmir pacer Auqib Nabi for his impressive show in the Ranji Trophy, saying the right-arm fast bowler is on his way to donning national colours and could begin his international journey in England.
The disciplinary action follows one of the most volatile moments witnessed in recent domestic cricket finals, when a fiercely contested match briefly descended into confrontation.
After losing two big wickets in the second session, the Jammu and Kashmir team started the third session with caution, but Sahil soon changed gears, hitting three fours to Prasidh Krishna and Shreyas Gopal.
Kerala rode a slender two-run first innings lead against Gujarat to storm into their maiden Ranji Trophy final, after featuring in the premier domestic tournament for 68 years.
Milind Rage, who returned to captain Mumbai in domestic cricket after suffering a heart attack at 26, passed away after a second attack on Wednesday, days after turning 76.
The excitement around star batter Virat Kohli’s return to domestic cricket lasted a mere 15 deliveries as the former India captain was dismissed for a forgettable 6, with Railways pacer Himanshu Sangwan sending his stump cartwheeling early in the innings.
Broken phones, lost slippers and shoes lying around the Feroz Shah Kotla before a pitch invader breached security to touch Virat Kohli’s feet were some of the unprecedented scenes that summed up the iconic batter’s return to domestic cricket after more than 12 years.
The final round of the Ranji Trophy Group stage is all about one man — Virat Kohli, who will mark his comeback to domestic cricket after more than 12 years. Regardless of Delhi’s chances of making the knockout stages of the premier domestic red-ball tournament, the Group D clash has already garnered all the limelight, thanks to the iconic batter’s participation.
