The essence of red-ball cricket is steeped in irony. Although it unfolds over several days at a leisurely pace, the outcome can be determined in just a matter of hours. This was evident on a sunny Sunday at the Sher-I-Kashmir Stadium in Srinagar, where the Rest of India triumphed over the reigning Ranji Trophy champions, Jammu & Kashmir, by 167 runs, securing the Irani Cup.
Batting coach Laxmi Ratan Shukla expressed his elation, stating, “What an incredible performance by the boys. Finally, it happened after two years,” as he entered the dressing room to join the celebrations for captain Rishabh Pant’s birthday. Just hours earlier, the atmosphere in the room was quite somber.
The hosts started strong in their pursuit of a target of 279 runs, with Qamran Iqbal and Shubham Khajuria appearing eager to secure victory early. They amassed 54 runs within the first 10 overs, setting a promising tone.
However, what unfolded next was a dramatic turn of events that would feel surreal to the Jammu & Kashmir players. Iqbal, perhaps too enthusiastic to reach the target, attempted to send an Akash Deep delivery beyond the square leg boundary but instead found himself trapped lbw.
A drinks break occurred in the 13th over, and during that brief interlude, a crucial conversation took place. Mukesh Kumar, who had struggled in the first innings, implored stand-in captain Sarfaraz Khan for another over. His request was granted, and it proved pivotal.
In that over, Kumar took two wickets, dramatically shifting the momentum of the match. He trapped Shubham Pundir lbw with an inswinger, followed by a stunning delivery that took the wicket of J&K captain Paras Dogra.
At 89/3, the match still seemed balanced, reminiscent of the previous three days. However, an hour of exceptional bowling soon changed the narrative, making the contest appear overwhelmingly one-sided.
Shubham Khajuria, the player with the most first-class appearances for Jammu & Kashmir, made an uncharacteristic mistake on the first ball after lunch, chasing a wide ball from Akash and edging it to the keeper. Kanhaiya Wadhawan followed suit with a similar error, caught by substitute wicketkeeper Aryan Juyal, also off Mukesh Kumar, who was now on a roll.
Kumar continued his impressive performance, claiming three more wickets, while Akash’s delivery led to Sahil Lotra’s duck, mirroring the misfortunes of his captain.
Despite the stellar performances of the Bengal seamers, Mukesh Choudhary’s crucial dismissal of Abdul Samad stood out. Samad, aiming to fulfill his ambition of scoring over 1,000 runs in the upcoming Ranji Trophy season, had appeared composed at the crease. However, a drive on the 28th over led to his catch at second slip, marking a turning point in the match.
Following that, Kumar dismissed Abid Mushtaq, Umar Nazir, and Sunil Kumar within four balls in the next over, achieving his 11th five-wicket haul in first-class cricket.
For the first time since 2024, the Ranji Trophy winners were unable to secure a double title. Nonetheless, J&K’s captain Dogra noted that his team performed admirably, despite a moment of collective lapse in concentration. “They have seven players in their team who have played for India. Many teams wouldn’t even think they could defeat them, but we believed. We fought till the last moment,” he commented, standing proudly.
Outside the stadium, two young fans engaged in a spirited debate. One questioned the value of hosting such a match with prominent players like Rishabh Pant if it resulted in embarrassment. The other countered that Pant’s presence was a testament to their status as champions. Their discussion ended unresolved, while the trophy found its way into the Rest of India’s possession.
In summary, Rest of India scored 237 & 319 runs, led by Ravichandran Smaran’s 135 runs, while Jammu & Kashmir managed 278 & 111 runs, with Shubham Khajuria contributing 36. The match concluded with Rest of India winning by 167 runs.
Shuvaditya Bose serves as the Deputy Copy Editor at the sports desk of The Indian Express.
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