Tempers Flare in Ranji Trophy Final as Paras Dogra Clashes with Karnataka Players

Hubli: The Ranji Trophy final between Jammu & Kashmir and Karnataka witnessed unsavoury scenes on Day 2 at the Hubli Cricket Ground on Wednesday, as J&K captain Paras Dogra was involved in a heated on-field altercation that briefly overshadowed the contest.

The flashpoint occurred in the 101st over of Jammu & Kashmir’s innings. Dogra, who was building a steady partnership with Kanhaiya Wadhawan, edged a delivery from Prasidh Krishna to the boundary. Moments later, an exchange of words erupted between Dogra and Karnataka substitute fielder KV Aneesh, stationed at forward short leg.

In a sudden escalation, Dogra charged towards Aneesh and headbutted him while still wearing his helmet. Karnataka captain Mayank Agarwal immediately stepped in to defuse the situation. It is understood that persistent sledging from Aneesh may have provoked the J&K skipper.

The umpires were forced to intervene as tensions rose. Although Dogra apologised at the end of the over, Aneesh reportedly refused to accept it. Agarwal and KL Rahul, who were fielding nearby, continued to engage Dogra verbally, adding to the charged atmosphere.

The intensity had been simmering since Day 1. Dogra had earlier been struck on the glove by a rising delivery from Vijaykumar Vyshak, forcing him to retire hurt on 9 off 48 balls. He later returned to bat, demonstrating resilience despite the setback.

A second confrontation followed soon after the initial incident. As Wadhawan set off for a single, his elbow brushed against Vyshak in the pacer’s follow-through. The two players squared up before the umpire and a Karnataka teammate separated them. Dogra, observing from the non-striker’s end, appeared to respond with a wry smile.

Commentary during the broadcast suggested that the onus was on the batter to alter his running line, as the bowler is entitled to remain in his follow-through path.

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Despite the disruptions, Jammu & Kashmir consolidated their position. The team advanced to 350 for four, with six wickets in hand, putting themselves in a commanding position. On Day 1, Shubham Pundir had laid a solid foundation with a composed 121. Yawer Hassan (88) and Abdul Samad (61) added crucial half-centuries, propelling J&K forward in their maiden Ranji Trophy final appearance.

Amid the controversy, Dogra’s stature in domestic cricket remains formidable. The 41-year-old recently became only the second player in Ranji Trophy history to surpass 10,000 runs, achieving the milestone in the semi-final against Bengal and joining the elite company of Wasim Jaffer. Now in his 27th Ranji Trophy season, Dogra began his career with Himachal Pradesh, representing the side for 17 years before stints with Puducherry and, more recently, Jammu & Kashmir.

Since taking over the captaincy, Dogra has led from the front, amassing 551 runs from nine matches this season. Former J&K captain Parvez Rasool credited Dogra’s inclusion as a transformative factor for the side, citing his leadership, experience, and calming influence in high-pressure situations.

While the fiery exchanges added drama to an already high-stakes final, Jammu & Kashmir’s focus remains on translating their strong batting performance into a historic title triumph.