The spotlight will be on the rising stars of the Jammu and Kashmir cricket team as they gear up to face the formidable Karnataka cricket team in tomorrow’s title clash.The Tribune profiles the key players who have scripted this historic run. From gritty openers and disciplined pacers to all-rounders who delivered in crunch moments, the squad reflects a blend of youth and resilience that has powered J&K into the final of the Ranji Trophy for the first time.The journey has been defined by consistent performances, breakthrough spells, and match-winning partnerships, making the player profiles central to understanding how this underdog side transformed into serious contenders on the biggest stage of India’s premier domestic tournament.Abid Mushtaq Mangnoo, bowler: A resident of Bhaderwah town in Doda district of Jammu division, 29-year-old Abid is a left-arm spinner and is known to stun the opposite team when he bowls. He was supported by his father to become a cricketer since his childhood. Unfortunately, in April last year, his father passed away due to illness, and he was not able to see his performance that led J&K to the finals of the Ranji Trophy.While playing in different tournaments, Abid was spotted by former cricketer Irfan Pathan, who suggested his inclusion at the higher level. In 2023, Abid was bought by the Rajasthan Royals to play in the Indian Premier League (IPL).Abid’s brother, Khalid Mushtaq, said they come from a middle-class family and had struggled a lot during his early years to get cricket training. He said for the family, the final Ranji Trophy match will be the ‘World Cup’.Abdul Samad, batsman: 24-year-old Abdul was born in the far-off Kalakote area in the border district of Rajouri but brought up in Jammu city. He is a top-order batsman and a leg-spin bowler. Like his father, Abid was fond of outdoor games since his childhood. He is considered to be an explosive batsman due to his style of playing the ball.Besides the Ranji Trophy for J&K and other tournaments, he has played as a key batsman for the Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL in 2020. In 2025, he was signed by the Lucknow Super Giants.His father, Mohammad Farooq, works at the department of youth services and sports in Jammu and says that he was fond of sports, due to which Samad also became interested in cricket. He said Samad was ruthless with his bat on the field since the start of his career.Paras Dogra, captain: The captain of the J&K Ranji team and a right-hand batsman, 41-year-old Dogra comes from Palampur of Himachal Pradesh and plays in the J&K team as a professional.He started his cricketing journey at the age of 12 as he was influenced by his father, who had also played in the Ranji Trophy for Haryana. Paras has played for U-16, U-19, and for multiple IPL teams during his career.His brother, Hemant Dogra, who is also a professional cricketer, says the major challenge that Paras faces is competing with players of much younger age. “However, he continues to follow the training schedule that keeps him fit and has taken him to the rank of captain of the team,” said Hemant.Before J&K, he was a player with the Puducherry and Himachal Pradesh teams.Shubham Khajuria, batsman: Born in Jammu city and played for the India Under-19 cricket team in 2013, 30-year-old Shubham started his career in the Ranji Trophy tournament against Maharashtra in 2011 at the age of 16. He also played in the Ribblesdale League in England as a professional player for Oswaldtwistle Immanuel Cricket Club.His father, Pradeep Khajuria, said that Shubham received a setback when he suffered a shoulder injury in 2014 that put a brake on his cricketing journey for two years. “Shubham went through a surgery but bounced back and became the highest run maker in many matches,” said his father.His father recalls that Shubham started professional training for cricket at the age of nine years old.“The family supported Shubham since he was a child. Seeing his interest in cricket, we never forced him to divert his attention towards academics, although he was a bright student,” said Pradeep Khajuri, who is a headmaster at a government school in Jammu.Kawalpreet Singh, batsman and bowler: 23-year-old Kawalpreet comes from the Kathua district bordering Punjab. Primarily a right-arm bowler, he is also a batsman who plays in the lower order.It was during the COVID-19 pandemic that Singh suffered a jolt as he was not able to practice for months. His father, Happy Singh, who does a private job, said that those months were a testing time for Kawalpreet, as earlier he used to practice every day.Happy Singh recalls that Kawalpreet’s dream came true when he started playing cricket for the U-13 team of J&K. “He always wanted to become a cricketer. He used to watch cricket matches on television and always told us that he would become a cricketer one day,” said Happy Singh.While taking part in cricket tournaments, Singh is also pursuing his graduation.Vanshaj Sharma, bowler: Born in Bishnah in Jammu district and located close to the International Border (IB) with Pakistan, 22-year-old Vanshaj is a left-arm spinner from J&K Cricket Association (JKCA) who became the youngest player in 2024 to take 10 wickets, five in each inning, in his debut Ranji Trophy match.A family member of Sharma informed that he was discovered during a talent hunt of JKCA in 2022 and was later selected for the U-25 category. He developed an early passion for cricket and used to play the game with his friends in his locality since his childhood. He was supported by his family.During the recent match with West Bengal that propelled J&K to the finals, Vanshaj had scored 43 runs in 83 balls not out.Yudhvir Singh Charak, bowler: 28-year-old Yudhvir traces his roots to the Koteranka area of Rajouri district but now resides in Roop Nagar in Jammu. He is a right-arm medium pace bowler who has the ability to bounce and deliver under pressure.He made his first-class debut in the Ranji Trophy tournament for the Hyderabad team in 2019.His career progressed through the IPL matches for different teams. Yudhvir was the only second player from J&K who made it to the IPL in 2021 when he was signed by the Mumbai Indians for Rs 20 lakh. He later played for Lucknow Super Giants in IPL season 2023 and later for Rajasthan Royals in 2025.A family member of Charak said that he started playing U-19 at the domestic level at the age of 16. “It was his balling that had always been his strength. His family is hopeful that he will make a difference during the upcoming final Ranji match,” said the family member.Kanhaiya Wadhwan, wicketkeeper-cum-batter: The wicketkeeper cum batter for the J&K Ranji team, 24-year-old Kanhaiya has been appreciated for his composure behind the stump.After developing an interest in cricket at a young age, Wadhwan went through local training where he became fond of wicket-keeping. He made his debut in the Ranji Trophy in 2018, representing J&K.Besides wicket-keeping, he has also contributed much-needed runs with the bat at times for his team. A close relative of Wadhwan said that he is an all-rounder who always wanted to become a wicketkeeper.“It was a challenge to become a performing wicket-keeper as it is one of the most difficult tasks in cricket. He has, however, nurtured himself in this specialist role and established himself as an asset for the team,” said the family member, adding that Wadhwan is further refining his abilities.Auqib Nabi Dar, bowler: The 29-year-old is the new cricket sensation from the Valley, who is making his name in the domestic circuit. In December last year, Dar scripted history at the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 auction, securing an Rs 8.40-crore contract with Delhi Capitals. It was then, for the first time, that a cricketer from the Valley was bought at such a high price at the world’s biggest T20 league. Behind his fame and rise, however, lies a story of struggle. Hailing from Sheeri village in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, his father, Ghulam Nabi Dar, said his son started from a ‘scratch’ and never gave up.Dar, a school teacher by profession, said that when there was no proper ground in the village, Auqib would travel to Srinagar to practise. “Then he would travel to different parts of the country for coaching. I had to then arrange money for his travel and other things,” he added.Auqib is the eldest of three siblings, and his mother is a homemaker.Dar recalls that in the initial days, Auqib would even borrow sports shoes from his friends just to be able to play. “I wanted him to be a doctor. But when I saw that his interest lies in cricket, I supported him in whatever way I could. And the result is in front of you,” he said.Yawer Hassan Khan, top order batsman: Hailing from Bijbehara town — a cricket hub in South Kashmir’s Anantnag district —22-year-old Yawer is making a name in the Valley and beyond. He is now playing in the Ranji team as a top batsman. Son of a lecturer, he is the youngest of three siblings. As Yawer’s interest in cricket was evident, his family stood firmly by his side, supporting him in pursuing his passion.His elder brother, Abrar ul Haq, recalls that when he was in Class I and II, he would play gully cricket. “There also came a time when he would give cricket trials and even appear for a school exam on the same day. Such was his passion,” he said. Abrar added that Yawer’s talent was recognised, and he found himself playing for the Ranji team. “When our father saw his passion for cricket, he also started supporting him. We are happy that he is doing well today,” he said.Umar Nazir, bowler: Resident of Pulwama, earlier known as a militancy hotbed in South Kashmir, 31-year-old Umar began playing cricket in 2013-2014, and since then, he has been consistent for Jammu and Kashmir. So far, he has taken 148 wickets in 63 first-class matches.Coming from a middle-class family in Kashmir, his father is associated with the timber business, and his mother is a homemaker. Nazir says that he made a few Kashmiri fast bowlers his role models. His bowling practice began in the open fields of Kashmir. “When he started his career, not many full-fledged cricket grounds existed. However slowly, he began travelling across the country to train at different centres,” said a family member.Nazir, known for being tall and often called ‘Pulwama Express’, has already begun teaching youngsters. He runs a cricket academy in Pulwama. “His dream is to see more youngsters play good cricket, and so he is putting in all the efforts to achieve his goal,” the family member added.