The Ranji Trophy final between Jammu and Kashmir and Karnataka saw high drama on Day 2. At the Hubli Cricket Ground, J&K captain Paras Dogra lost his temper and headbutted Karnataka substitute fielder KV Aneesh. It happened during the 101st over of J&K’s innings.
The incident happened after the 41-year-old edged a ball from Prasidh Krishna for 4 runs. Following the shot, there was a heated exchange between Dogra and Aneesh at the forward short leg.
Reports suggest constant sledging from Aneesh may have triggered Dogra. In anger, Dogra rushed towards him and headbutted him with his helmet. Karnataka captain Mayank Agarwal then stepped in to control the situation.
Umpires quickly intervened to calm things down. Dogra later apologized, but Aneesh refused to accept it. Mayank Agarwal and KL Rahul also reacted strongly, verbally confronting Dogra.
Earlier on Day 1, Dogra retired hurt after a rising bouncer from Vyshak Vijaykumar had struck his glove while he was batting on 9.
Another tense moment happened in the Ranji Trophy final. This time, it involved pacer Vijaykumar Vyshak and batter Kanhaiya Wadhawan.
While running for a single, Wadhawan’s left elbow brushed against Vyshak during the bowler’s follow-through. The two players came face to face in a heated exchange before the umpire, and a teammate stepped in to separate them. At the non-striker’s end, Paras Dogra reacted with a slight smile.
A commentator pointed out that, under the rules, the bowler is allowed to stay in his follow-through path. It is the batter’s responsibility to avoid contact.
Despite the tension, J&K stayed strong. They reached 472/6. Paras Dogra made 70 off 166 balls.
Earlier, Shubham Pundir had scored a brilliant 121 before Vidyadhar Patil dismissed him for an LBW. Yawer Hassan Khan (88), Kanhaiya Wadhawan (70) and Abdul Samad (61) added valuable runs.
Who is Paras Dogra?
Paras Dogra is a domestic cricket veteran who is currently playing his 27th Ranji Trophy season. He spent 17 years with Himachal Pradesh before moving to Puducherry in the 2018-19 season.
Last year, he shifted to Jammu and Kashmir and took over as captain. In the current season, he has led from the front, scoring 551 runs in 9 matches.
Former J&K captain Parvez Rasool praised Dogra’s impact, saying his experience and leadership made a big difference to the team. According to Rasool, Dogra brought stability and confidence during crucial moments.
“This year, I think Paras Dogra’s inclusion made a big difference. His experience and leadership helped the team immensely,” Parvez Rasool told HT Digital.
“Looking ahead, this is a very positive sign for J&K cricket. The younger players are now learning what it takes to compete at this level,” he added.
Paras Dogra recently achieved a major milestone in Indian domestic cricket. In the Ranji Trophy semi-final against Bengal, he became only the second player in the tournament’s history to score 10,000 runs. He joined the elite list alongside Wasim Jaffer.
