Ranji Trophy 2025-26 Final: Auqib Nabi Focused On J&K’s First Ranji Trophy Final Win, Says ‘Not Paying Much Attention To…’

Jammu and Kashmir made history when they registered a place in the final of Ranji Trophy 2025-26. This is the first time that J&K will be playing the Ranji Trophy. Fast bowler Auqib Nabi has said that he is just focussing on the final and isn’t bothered about the outside noise. 

“I am just focussing on the present. I am not paying much attention to the outside noises. I will try to get more wickets in the final, focus on my process that has given me wickets so far. I am not thinking much about the expectations,” Nabi was quoted as saying to PTI.

“Obviously, there will be expectations. But I am just feeling positive. I will bowl in areas where I have been bowling this season, and that’s my focus,” he added.

The pacer added that the players have worked really hard and the environment within the unit is very positive. 

“I am feeling very good. In fact, we all have been working hard for this for many years. Finally, this moment is here. The final is a big game, but everyone is positive. We have gone to the opponent’s home ground and have defeated them. It is a very good boost for the team.”

“We have won in Delhi’s home ground, Bengal’s home ground, and MP’s home ground. We are very positive about that and not thinking much. We just need to remain positive,” he noted.

Nabi who has been the second highest wicket-taker in this edition is focused on executing his plans against Karnataka in the finale but believes that adapting to the conditions is the key. “No matter what the wicket is or the conditions are, I have to bowl in a particular channel. That’s what gave me wickets this season and the final will not change anything. I need to bowl in that channel (outside the off-stump).”

“But yes, you need to adapt to the conditions quickly and make sure that I hit that channel sooner than later. I have not seen the wicket here, but I have come with good preparation and I trust that,” he said.

Nabi also acknowledged the contributions of head coach Ajay Sharma and bowling coach P Krishnakumar. “Ajay bhai was a legend of his time. He has played and won a lot of matches. It is a blessing that he is coaching us as he knows how to keep everyone together. And for Krishnakumar sir, earlier, we didn’t have a bowling coach. Even when we used to do something wrong, there was no one to correct us. Now, we have had a bowling coach for the last 2-3 years. He helped us a lot. He has made a drastic change in our bowling. He gives us regular feedback and after that we have started doing well as a unit,” said Nabi.

The Ranji Trophy final between Jammu and Kashmir and Karnataka will begin on February 24 at KSCA Hubli Cricket Ground, Hubli. 

SQUADS:

Karnataka: Mayank Agarwal (c), Karun Nair, Smaran Ravichandran, Krishnan Shrijith (wk), Shreyas Gopal, Vijaykumar Vyshak,
Vidhwath Kaverappa, Abhilash Shetty, Muralidhara Venkatesh Nikin Jose, Abhinav Manohar, Kruthik Krishna, Aneesh KV,
Mohsin Khan, Shikhar Shetty, Devdutt Padikkal, Yashovardhan Parantap, Vidyadhar Patil, KL Rahul, Prasidh Krishna, Dhruv Prabhakar

J&K: Paras Dogra (c), Abdul Samad, Shubham Khajuria, Qamran Iqbal, Abid Mushtaq, Vivrant Sharma, Umran Malik, Yudhvir Singh Charak, Auqib Nabi Dar, Sunil Kumar, Lone Nasir Muzaffar, Mujtaba Yousuf, Musaif Ajaz, Sahil Lotra, Umar Nazir Mir,
Vanshaj Sharma, Kanhaiya Wadhawan, Yawer Hassan, Rohit K Sharma, Dikshant Kundal, Shubham Pundir

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