Jammu and Kashmir seized complete control of Day 1 of the Ranji Trophy 2025-26 final against Karnataka at the KSCA Cricket Stadium in Hubballi on February 24, 2026, finishing the opening day at a commanding 284 for 2. Opener Shubham Pundir produced a masterful unbeaten century — 117 not out — while Yawer Hassan crafted a magnificent 88 in just his maiden first-class half-century appearance, and Abdul Samad was unbeaten on 52 at stumps. The J&K innings represented a stunning reversal of the pre-match narrative that had billed this as a contest between Karnataka’s formidable batting lineup and J&K’s fearsome bowling attack.
J&K Win Toss and Choose to Bat on Dry Surface
J&K captain Paras Dogra won the toss and opted to bat on a dry pitch expected to crumble as the game progressed — a decision that looked bold given Karnataka’s spin arsenal. The pre-match analysis had centred heavily on whether J&K’s pace attack, led by the outstanding Auqib Nabi — who enters the final with 55 wickets in nine matches — could dismantle a Karnataka batting lineup featuring KL Rahul, R Smaran, Devdutt Padikkal and Karun Nair, all of whom have been in devastating form throughout the season.
Pundir and Yawer Frustrate Karnataka’s Attack
Karnataka tested J&K’s openers with genuine quality early in the day. Prasidh Krishna, Vijaykumar Vyshak and Vidyadhar Patil all extracted swing, seam and bounce to beat the bat on multiple occasions, and Qamran Iqbal fell early — caught at second slip by KL Rahul off Prasidh Krishna — to give Karnataka a foothold at 11 for 1 in the 11th over. From that point, however, Yawer Hassan and Shubham Pundir were absolutely immovable. The pair shared an unbroken 173-run partnership for the second wicket before Yawer was dismissed for 88. Paras Dogra retired hurt after being troubled by short-pitched deliveries but resumed later in the day.
Pundir Punishes Spin with Power and Precision
Karnataka turned to legspinner Shreyas Gopal as their primary threat, but the Ranji Trophy final proved to be a different stage for the seasoned spinner. Gopal’s first spell of five overs cost 26 runs as both Yawer and Pundir grew in confidence with every passing over. Pundir brought up his half-century by slashing Vidyadhar for four, and then reached his century in emphatic fashion — skipping down the pitch against Shikhar Shetty and clearing the vast midwicket boundary for six. Samad joined him at the crease and quickly displayed his own attacking intent, striking Gopal for six and four in the 85th over before bringing up his fifty off just 64 balls in the penultimate over of the day.
History Beckons for Jammu and Kashmir
This Ranji Trophy final carries extraordinary historical weight. J&K are appearing in their maiden final, 67 years after they received BCCI affiliation. Their path here has been remarkable — victories over Delhi, Madhya Pradesh and Bengal in the knockouts, the only defeat of the season coming in the very first match against Mumbai. Karnataka, meanwhile, are eight-time champions chasing their first Ranji title since the 2014-15 season. The two sides have met four times in Ranji Trophy history, with Karnataka winning on each occasion — twice by an innings. Day 2 will reveal whether Karnataka’s bowlers can recover, but after J&K’s dominant first day, the fairy-tale has never felt more possible.
Written by 8JJ.com News Desk | February 25, 2026
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