Jammu & Kashmir first entered the Ranji Trophy in the 1959-60 season. For more than two decades, they couldn't register a single victory — their first win didn't come until 1982-83. For most of their history, J&K were plucky participants rather than genuine contenders.

Cricket in Kashmir has always meant something more than a sport. In a region that has lived through decades of conflict, limited infrastructure, and winters that freeze the ground for months, the commitment to first-class cricket required extraordinary resilience.

The transformation has been gradual but unmistakable. In 2015-16, they stunned Mumbai at the Wankhede under Parvez Rasool's leadership — one of the great upsets in Ranji history.

"Initially it was challenging because it was a very different culture in J&K. It took me around two years to understand these kids. It took time to bond with them. But today they see me as an elder brother."

Ajay Sharma, J&K Head Coach

Everything changed under coach Ajay Sharma. He built a coaching team, invested in pre-season preparation, developed both red and black soil pitches, and shifted the mentality from IPL dreamers to Ranji warriors.

The 2025-26 campaign has been extraordinary. After an opening loss to Mumbai, they bounced back with innings victories, destroyed MP in the QF (Nabi: 12 wickets), then beat Bengal in the SF by 6 wickets. In the Final at Hubballi, they didn't just win; they dominated an eight-time champion Karnataka side. Riding on Shubham Pundir's gritty 121, J&K amassed a mammoth 584, bowled Karnataka out for 293, then declared at 342/4 (Qamran Iqbal 160*, Sahil Lotra 101*). Match drawn — J&K won on first innings lead. The first Himalayan team to win the Ranji Trophy.

Crictal Staging