New Delhi, Feb 28: The Indian cricket fraternity came together to celebrate Jammu and Kashmir’s maiden Ranji Trophy triumph, hailing it as a landmark achievement for the region and a powerful symbol of belief and perseverance.
ICC Chairman Jay Shah led the tributes, describing the victory as a story of grit that would inspire generations to come. Congratulating the team, Shah emphasised that while the players deserved the spotlight, equal credit must go to the coaching staff, management and administrators who worked tirelessly behind the scenes. He expressed hope that the title would ignite belief among youngsters in the region and encourage more to take up the sport.
Jammu and Kashmir were crowned champions for the first time after outplaying eight-time winners Karnataka in a one-sided final in Hubballi. A commanding first-innings lead of 291 runs laid the foundation for the historic win, the culmination of steady progress over recent seasons.Among those applauding the feat was off-spin great Ravichandran Ashwin, who termed the victory a testament to the growing competitiveness of Ranji teams. He pointed out how sides such as Saurashtra, Vidarbha, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat have lifted the trophy in recent years, underlining the depth in domestic cricket. Ashwin noted that such triumphs often pave the way for players to break into the national side and expressed confidence that members of the J&K squad would soon don India whites.
Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh praised the team’s unity and determination, stating that winning the Ranji Trophy is never easy and that J&K had shown remarkable will throughout the season. Ex-all-rounder Irfan Pathan echoed similar sentiments, saying he had full faith in the side’s ability to script history.
BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia termed the victory a shining example of how cricket continues to flourish across India, even in challenging conditions. For Jammu and Kashmir, the triumph marks not just a trophy, but the dawn of a new chapter in their cricketing journey. (PTI)
