Ranji Trophy final: Pundir, Yawer help J & K take opening day’s honours

The Jammu and Kashmir dressing room this season has had a revolving door of stars. On day one of its maiden Ranji Trophy final, versus Karnataka at the KSCA Rajnagar Stadium here on Tuesday, it found two more entrants in opener Yawer Hassan and one-drop Shubham Pundir.

Yawer, 22, had totalled just 61 runs from eight innings coming into this all-important contest. Pundir, 27, had fared better with 205 runs —including one solitary knock of 165 — from five visits to the crease.

But Yawer made a fine 88 (150b, 13×4) before Shubham scored his fourth First Class century (117 batting, 221b, 12×4, 2×6) to help the visitors reach a more-than-healthy 284 for two. At stumps, Pundir had the free-stroking Abdul Samad (52 batting, 67b, 5×4, 1×6) standing vigil alongside.

Yawer Hassan missed out on a century.
| Photo Credit:
K. MURALI KUMAR

J & K lost the seasoned Shubham Khajuria and young all-rounder Vanshaj Sharma to injuries prior to the match. Skipper Paras Dogra retired hurt after speedsters Prasidh Krishna and V. Vyshak roughed him up on the neck and right hand, respectively. In that context, Yawer’s and Pundir’s efforts came like a godsend.

It was, admittedly, a good batting surface and Dogra called it right at the toss. It also helped that despite possessing a formidable attack that was cheered on by a nearly 5,000-strong, ticketed crowd, Karnataka used the red cherry well only in patches.

On a pitch where there was good bounce and the occasional off-the-seam movement, Prasidh and Vyshak threatened from time to time. But Yawer and Pundir displayed admirable mettle, and interspersed it with bursts of attacking mojo.

Shreyas Gopal (17-1-79-0) and Vidyadhar Patil (16-0-66-0) were the outlets as the J & K duo combined for 139 runs after Qamran Iqbal fell early, caught by K.L. Rahul at second slip off Prasidh.

Pundir was reprieved on 53 when Kruthik Krishna missed a stumping off left-arm spinner Shikhar Shetty. As if to rub salt in the wound, Pundir creamed the next ball through cover for four.

Prasidh ended the association by excising Yawer, 12 runs short of a deserved century, with Rahul completing another fine catch. That marked the start of a period of sustained pressure as Karnataka didn’t allow a boundary for nearly 10 overs.

But the closest it came to taking a wicket was when substitute K.V. Aneesh dropped Dogra at gully off Vyshak. Dogra did leave the field injured, but an unruffled Pundir completed his hundred by hitting Shikhar for a fierce six over deep mid-wicket.

If Karnataka does not pull up its socks, Wednesday can be damaging.

The scores: Jammu & Kashmir — 1st innings: Qamran Iqbal c Rahul b Prasidh 6, Yawer Hassan c Rahul b Prasidh 88, Shubham Pundir (batting) 117, Paras Dogra (retd. hurt) 9, Abdul Samad (batting) 52; Extras (b-2, lb-8, w-2): 12; Total (for two wkts. in 87 overs): 284.

Fall of wickets: 1-18, 2-157.

Karnataka bowling: Vidyadhar 16-0-66-0, Vyshak 18-6-25-0, Prasidh 16-5-36-2, Shreyas 17-1-79-0, Shikhar 20-0-68-0.

Toss: J & K.