Ajay Sharma's second innings, J&K's first crown

"Jo sapna dekha tha woh aaj poora hua (The dream we saw is now a reality)," said Ajay Sharma, head coach of Jammu & Kashmir, after his team won their maiden Ranji Trophy title. He then added, "Never imagined that we could win the Ranji Trophy."

At the start of the season, Sharma asked his team to pick a character from the 1975 Bollywood film Sholay and embody that role—emphasizing that every part, big or small, should be made significant and memorable.

When appointed head coach, Sharma was tasked by Mithun Manhas, then head of the BCCI-appointed sub-committee for J&K cricket, with winning the Ranji Trophy. Sharma initially responded, "Pehle qualify to karle (First let's qualify to the knockouts)."

Jammu & Kashmir reached the Ranji Trophy quarterfinals in 2024–25, a stage they had only reached twice in 66 years. They were poised for the semifinals, but an 81-run last-wicket partnership between Kerala's Salman Nizar and Basil Thampi gave Kerala a one-run first-innings lead, knocking J&K out.

"We thought that one-run lead would haunt us, but we had to move on," Sharma said. "We decided, okay jo ho gaya uska to kuch nahi kar sakte (we can't cry over spilt milk), let's focus on what we can control."

The team adopted a slogan: "We will not let them win, we will win."

They began the new season with a win against Mumbai in Srinagar. On their path to the final, they defeated Delhi in Delhi, Madhya Pradesh in Indore, Bengal in Kalyani, along with commanding wins over Rajasthan and Hyderabad.

Sharma highlighted the need to address smaller issues, even before the previous season ended. One was separating "IPL stars" from J&K cricketers. Abdul Samad, the team's top-scorer in the title-winning season, was dropped for a match against Baroda after throwing his wicket away against Mumbai.

"I was not happy with his batting when I joined; he used to throw his wicket away," Sharma said. "I told him he was no star and would become one only by winning the Ranji Trophy… That's when he understood, and this year, he put a value on his wicket."

Before the final, J&K faced injury setbacks. Opener Shubham Khajuriya and in-form Vanshaj Sharma were unavailable. Qamran Iqbal was called in as a late replacement. He took a late-night flight from Srinagar via New Delhi to Mumbai, waited overnight at the airport, then flew to Hubballi on match day. Within an hour of landing, he was facing the new ball.

After scoring 6 in the first innings, Qamran played a crucial unbeaten 160 in the second innings, weathering a bouncer barrage and helping secure the title.

Another opener, Yawer Hassan, averaged just 14.78 in nine matches before the final. After Qamran fell early in the first innings, Yawer scored 88 in a 139-run partnership with Shubham Pundir, laying the foundation for J&K's large first-innings total. It was his maiden first-class fifty.

"Yawer Hassan was not getting runs, but we needed an opener, so we turned him into one," Sharma said. "We backed him… If your intentions are pure, you can achieve any goal. The J&K team has proved it."

Sharma reflected on the team's transformation: "When Sholay was made, everyone had to play their character. All our players have played their parts, and now they have become heroes. They used to think they were heroes by playing IPL. But this is the prestigious trophy; winning this opens up fortunes. Now the sky is the limit."

He added, "I'm very happy these boys have created a legacy. The next generation will be inspired. Now there will be competition. Mazaa aayega. No one can take their place in the J&K team lightly anymore."

For Sharma, this title marks a personal redemption. A prolific domestic run-scorer in the 1980s and 1990s, his post-retirement career was marred by match-fixing allegations and a life ban in 2000, which was overturned after a 14-year legal battle. He returned as a coach with Delhi's Under-19 team in 2019 before moving to J&K.

"My family has started calling me 'coach,'" he said. "Earlier I won the trophy as a player. But to win this as a coach is a great feeling. I'm really happy for them and thankful to these guys. It's a very emotional moment for me. This is like the rebirth of Ajay Sharma."