Bishen Singh Bedi, former Jammu & Kashmir Ranji Trophy coach, was an inspirational determine within the improvement of cricket within the north zone. File
| Photo Credit: The Hindu
Bishan Singh Bedi, thou shouldst be residing at this hour! Jammu and Kashmir, a staff he coached and instilled self-belief in, is taking part in the ultimate of the Ranji Trophy. He wouldn’t have been shocked — he had stated greater than a decade in the past that J&Ok have been on the point of shock the established groups.
Soon after Bedi was appointed coach in 2011, he noticed there was expertise aplenty, however the staff lacked confidence. This meant ambitions have been restricted — and limiting. Bedi’s technique was to hone the expertise and encourage self-belief. In 2013-14, J&Ok made their first Ranji quarterfinal. In June 2014, all-rounder Parvez Rasool performed for India. Under Rasool’s captaincy, J&Ok beat a number of champions Mumbai outright the identical yr. These have been propitious early steps.
As Rasool stated in an interview with this newspaper, “Bedi sir came into J&K cricket, and that’s when our mindset changed. Before that, participation was enough. The great man told us: ‘Beta, go and compete, you have the skills.’”
Bedi was an inspirational determine within the improvement of cricket within the north zone. He captained Delhi to their first Ranji title and coached Punjab to their first. North Zone first received the Duleep Trophy beneath his captaincy “It was gratifying to show the rest of the country that some other teams could play too,” he stated, solely half-jokingly, a few years later.
J&Ok gamers haven’t articulated such a thought, however don’t be shocked if they’re considering it. It was 23 years after their debut within the nationwide championship that they received their first match. Dismissed for 43 and 79, they misplaced their inaugural match in 1959-60 to East Punjab by an innings. They misplaced their second too by an innings, once more twice failing to achieve 100, this time in opposition to Southern Punjab. In 1982-83, they lastly received, beating Services by 4 wickets. That was the season Karnataka received their third Ranji title.
Now, for the second yr in succession, groups as soon as thought-about the minnows are within the remaining of the Ranji Trophy. Last yr, it was Kerala who brought on idealists to attach with the important romanticism of sport. And now it’s J&Ok, maybe an much more unlikely candidate when seen by means of the glasses of the final century.
The underdog succeeding in opposition to the chances is one in every of sport’s enduring (and endearing) tropes. J&Ok are up in opposition to the second most profitable Ranji staff taking part in of their fifteenth remaining, however they are going to be telling themselves that one centered effort ought to do it, and can try and summon up their energies for simply that.
Already on the primary day, there are indications that J&Ok haven’t let the strain get to them. There is a solidity to their method, because the centurion Shubham Pundir and Yawer Hassan confirmed; class and style too, as displayed by the unbeaten Abdul Samad. J&Ok have a platform to construct on.
When your staff is doing nicely, it’s tempting to imagine that historical past started solely a few years in the past. In an interview with a nationwide newspaper, J&Ok’s coach Ajay Sharma has stated he was “furious” when he first took cost 4 years in the past, and “it took him some time to understand” the gamers. “I realised,” he stated, “that if these players are groomed mentally, their mindset would change…I changed myself by going down to their level.”
J&Ok have needed to dwell down such condescension for years now, however after this, no staff goes to take them frivolously. Sharma deserves some credit score, after all, however not all of it!
In the final decade, 5 totally different groups have received the Ranji Trophy, an affidavit to the unfold of expertise within the nation. Mumbai have received twice on this interval, however Karnataka and Delhi under no circumstances.
Cricket romantics who’re lifelong supporters of Karnataka cricket would possibly discover themselves in a bind. Do they assist the house staff or take a look at the larger image and hope that J&Ok accomplish the inconceivable and alter the face of cricket, and maybe components of society of their troubled state?
There is greater than cricket concerned right here, one thing Bedi would have understood.
Published – February 25, 2026 12:30 am IST
