Jammu and Kashmir claim first Ranji Trophy title
Jammu and Kashmir defeated Karnataka on first-innings lead to win their first Ranji Trophy title in the 2025-26 season.
Jammu and Kashmir won their first Ranji Trophy title in the 2025-26 season, beating Karnataka in the final on first-innings lead. The run included victories over Madhya Pradesh and Bengal—teams they had to outplay in a campaign that proved their depth.
For a non-traditional cricketing state to lift India's premier domestic trophy is rare. It's the result of years of quiet investment in infrastructure and coaching, decisions made when nobody was watching. Karnataka came into the final with strong group-stage form but couldn't match J&K's disciplined cricket when it mattered.
The win reshapes the conversation about who can compete at the highest level of domestic cricket. It's no longer just about which state has the richest academy or the longest history.
CricHubb Take
This opens a question the BCCI will have to answer: if J&K can build a title-winning team, what's stopping five other states from doing the same? The money's already there. The infrastructure exists. What's missing is belief — and now someone's proved it works.