Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Feb 25: Skipper Paras Dogra struck a gritty 70 but an on-field altercation overshadowed Jammu and Kashmir’s strong batting display as they reached 527 for 6 at stumps on Day 2 of the Ranji Trophy final against Karnataka.
Dogra, a 21-season Ranji veteran, was caught on camera allegedly head-butting Karnataka substitute fielder KV Aneesh after hitting a streaky boundary off pacer Prasidh Krishna. The incident prompted Karnataka senior player Mayank Agarwal to step in and separate the duo, while on-field umpires Rohan Pandit and Ulhas Gandhe intervened swiftly. Karnataka skipper Devdutt Padikkal was also seen discussing the matter with the umpires.
Given the physical nature of the altercation, Dogra could face disciplinary action from BCCI match referee Narayan Kutty.
On the cricketing front, Jammu and Kashmir continued to dominate. Overnight centurion Shubham Pundir (121 off 247 balls) fell early on Day 2, caught by substitute Aneesh off Vidyadhar Patil, ending a 124-run stand.
Abdul Samad (61) was dismissed by Prasidh Krishna, who finished with 3 for 90 in 29 overs and was the most effective among Karnataka’s bowlers.
At 307 for 4, Dogra and wicketkeeper-batter Kanhaiya Wadhawan (70) steadied the innings with a crucial 110-run partnership in 32 overs. While not scoring at a rapid pace, the duo showed resilience against Prasidh’s sharp pace and later capitalised against spinners Shreyas Gopal (1/130) and Shikhar Shetty (1/112).
Dogra’s 166-ball knock included eight boundaries, while Wadhawan struck nine fours in his 109-ball 70 before being caught by KL Rahul in the slips.
Dogra later added 54 runs with Sahil Lotra, who remained unbeaten on 54 at close of play.
With four overs left for the third new ball, Karnataka will aim to restrict Jammu and Kashmir below the 600-mark and bank on their batting line-up featuring several former and current Test players in what is shaping up as a high-scoring final.
Brief scores: Jammu and Kashmir 527/6 in 156 overs (Shubham Pundir 121, Yawer Hassan 88, Paras Dogra 70, Kanhaiya Wadhawan 70, Sahil Lotra 54 batting; Prasidh Krishna 3/90) vs Karnataka.