Jammu and Kashmir head coach Ajay Sharma knows that his side’s entry into its maiden Ranji Trophy final is bigger than his cricketing “rebirth”, and to describe that momentous occasion the former India all-rounder used an imagery from Bollywood classic Sholay.”In Sholay, everybody had a role — Thakur, Jai, Veeru, the Jailor, even Hariram Naai (barber). Nobody knew the film would become such a big hit, but every character played his part perfectly,” Sharma told PTI after J&K defeated Bengal by six wickets to enter the title round here on Wednesday.”Our team is like Sholay. There is no superstar. Everybody knows his role and plays it to perfection. That’s why we are here,” added Sharma, who joined J&K in September 2022.A prolific batter with 10,120 first-class runs in a 17-year career, his journey was halted by a life-ban because of match-fixing charges in early 2000.But he successfully contested that punishment in court before returning to the game as a coach.”It’s all karma. Karma goes around,” he said, refusing to talk about the ban and the dark phase that followed.”Being a coach and taking JKCA to a Ranji final — it’s a great achievement for me also. When I joined, it was very tough to even think we could reach this stage. It’s personal satisfaction.”Calling it a ‘rebirth’, Sharma added: “You can say it’s a rebirth of Ajay Sharma. I’ve played many finals, won some, lost some. But this… this is special.” Changing the cultureIronically, he was not keen for a new role when his one-time Delhi teammate Mithun Manhas — now the BCCI president and then a part of the Cricket Operations sub-committee of JKCA — called him while he was vacationing in Thailand.But once he took charge, the transition was not smooth. A two-time Ranji winner with Delhi, Sharma was accustomed to dressing rooms filled with Test players. The J&K ecosystem was different.”When you play for Delhi, eight-nine Test players are there. The mindset and temperament are different. When I came here, it was different,” he said.”It was quite hard initially. I had to come to their level. It took time to understand them, and it took time for them to understand me. They started believing in me. I started believing in them. Then the results began to come,” he said.The transformation was gradual — a Buchi Babu final appearance, wins over heavyweights Mumbai, Baroda and Vidarbha in previous seasons, and this year came victories over Delhi, Hyderabad, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Bengal.”You start believing you can beat anybody. Nobody can take us lightly now. J&K is a force to be reckoned with.”Sharma insists the breakthrough is rooted in self-belief rather than individual brilliance.”We don’t have star players. Everybody is a star. We started with one thought — we will not let anybody win. We will win.” With the experience came wisdom, the much-needed ingredient to conquer the knockout phase.”I know you can lose even after a first-innings lead. You can win without it. Experience matters in big matches.” With an average squad age of 23-24, Sharma believes this run could redefine players’ careers.”These are big matches. They can change your fortune. You’re one step away from winning the Ranji Trophy. People start watching you,” he added.One of J&K’s biggest strengths this season has been its relentless pace battery, spearheaded by Auqib Nabi who has 55 scalps at an average of less than 13.”Our pacers are like horses — they don’t get tired. If you are looking for fast bowlers, go to Jammu and Kashmir,” Sharma said.”Maybe it’s the diet, maybe the high altitude. We are cricketers from the hills. They are long-race horses.” He pointed to Umran Malik as an example of raw pace emerging from the region, but stressed that discipline is key in red-ball cricket.”We groom 10-15 fast bowlers. We see who suits white ball, who suits the red ball. It’s horses for courses,” he offered the reason for Malik’s absence in the Ranji Trophy.Sharma was chuffed to see the growth of Nabi, whose performances this season have caught national attention.”He has been performing for the last two-three years. He gives everything to the team. He is very simple — he knows where to bowl,” he said.”The whole India is now asking, ‘Who is Auqib Nabi?’ He has shown who he is. He never thinks about selection. His job is to perform. I think in the near future, he will get his chance,” he signed off.
