Parvez Rasool: 'Auqib Nabi has given J&K a new sporting identity'
Former Jammu & Kashmir captain Parvez Rasool believes Auqib Nabi’s remarkable Ranji Trophy campaign has given the region “a new sporting identity” after J&K clinched their maiden title.
Nabi capped a dream season with 60 wickets, including 26 in the knockout stages, playing a decisive role in J&K’s historic triumph. Six years ago, it was Rasool who handed Nabi his first Ranji cap. On the eve of the title celebrations, Rasool reflected on how far both player and team had come.
“When have we heard one player from J&K get so much attention? It’s better late than never. Auqib has made us proud, and made his family proud. He and the entire team have given our state a new sporting identity,” Rasool said.
Though he last represented J&K in 2022, Rasool remains deeply connected to the team. Now associated with coaching under the Jammu & Kashmir Sports Council, he runs the South Kashmir Cricket Academy in Bijbehara — a facility built using his IPL earnings. In recent weeks, he said, several youngsters have approached him expressing a desire to bowl like Auqib Nabi.
Rasool had planned travel from his hometown to Srinagar on the final day but left early to ensure he did not miss the winning moment, unsure of when the match would officially conclude.
The victory has resonated beyond the state. Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan, who mentored J&K during the 2019-20 domestic season, described the win as “personal.” Pathan, currently on commentary duty at the T20 World Cup, closely followed the final in Hubballi.
Under his mentorship, several young cricketers — including Abdul Samad and Nabi — made their first-class debuts. Pathan also backed pacer Rasikh Dar in his early days. Faced with a lack of red-soil pitches in the region, Pathan relocated the squad to Baroda’s Moti Baug ground for off-season preparation, a move he believes laid crucial groundwork.
“It’s been five years since I left J&K cricket, but the win feels so personal,” Pathan said. “If one IPL stint inspired youngsters, imagine what winning the Ranji Trophy will do. This gives them an identity. I haven’t seen the entire Indian cricket ecosystem unite behind one team like this.”
In Jammu, celebrations have already begun. Farooq Mohammed, father of Abdul Samad, said he struggled to express his emotions at his son becoming a Ranji champion.
“We’re preparing for a grand celebration,” he said. “Samad has evolved. Earlier, he played a T20 style even in red-ball cricket. He has learnt from setbacks, has been dropped, and come back stronger. Our entire locality is waiting for him.”
Former captain Samiullah Beigh, now an assistant engineer in Srinagar’s Public Works Department, took leave to witness the final day. Despite past disagreements with cricket administrators, he emphasised that the players’ achievements would endure far longer than any administrative tenure.
“Administrations come and go. What the world will remember are these players — the ones who brought J&K their maiden Ranji title,” Beigh said. “They’ve made us proud. Our region needed this lift.”
Head coach Ajay Sharma echoed that sentiment, stressing the broader shift in perception.
“Now no one can take J&K lightly,” Sharma said. “We are a force to reckon with.”
From mentorship and grassroots academies to packed streets and emotional family celebrations, the ripple effects of the Ranji Trophy triumph are already being felt. In Hubballi, J&K did more than win a title — they staked their claim as a permanent presence in India’s domestic cricket elite.