Ranji Trophy: Paras Dogra leads J&K from the front with ton as quarterfinal against Kerala on knife’s edge | Cricket News

Maybe, the Jammu & Kashmir Ranji team needed a captain who wasn’t an intimidating, authority figure. Paras Dogra had 10,000 domestic runs for his ancestral state Himachal Pradesh and as a guest player for Pondicherry. With J&K, he just shared a smattering of Dogri and Kangri dialects. But the Delhi-born 40-year-old, with a chill temperament and no particular intention of stamping his 10,000-run clout, candidly admitted to being super-fascinated the high quality of bowlers and hitters J&K had.
He was mentoring them alright when they bowled, but hadn’t been among the runs this season. He’s not prone to talking down to the juniors anyway, but his batting struggles strangely made him one of the boys. A hard-trying team with an earnestly-trying skipper, just got things to click. On Tuesday, with J&K having conceded a 1-run first innings lead (281 and 280) to Kerala , Dogra hit a sturdy century – striking 132 from 232 balls, while shepherding partnerships of 146 (261 balls) with Kanhaiya Wadhawan and 50 (65) with Sahil Lotra.
J&K set Kerala an enticing target of 399, after declaring on 398/9. It’s a tricky total to chase on the final day with Kerala 100-2 and their middle order having to walk the tightrope of going for an outright win or surviving 90 overs. J&K bowling being a particularly pugnacious unit is likely to keep Day 5 on a knife’s edge.
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The 1-run lead is a safety net to play out a draw, but like Dogra said, “It’s a matter of 8 good (wicket-taking) balls.” When stated that way, the potential to incite panic, is immense. Dogra is a shrewd leader in mind games – with or without runs in his individual kitty.
His unique ability to get his bowlers to believe they can beat any side – they already beat Mumbai and Baroda as a pack – might have a bearing on inducing harakiri in Kerala ranks. It’s a thrilling last day with Dogra and coach Ajay Sharma on one side and Kerala’s Amey Khurasiya and lynchpin Jalaj Saxena on the other.
Dogra happily admits to being a fan of his bowlers, glad to be their designated puppeteer. “When I joined the team, I was very impressed with how good their fast bowling is. They just need someone to take those small decisions,” he says, adding that he’s been guiding the young & restless pacers towards patience. “It’s about bowlers bowling maidens, bowling in the right areas. I know my bowlers can crack through any batting order, and that’s what we will try.”
Guiding the enforcers and the containing workhorses has been about teaching them not to force matters. “They tend to rush for wickets. I tell them ‘let things come to you.’ That’s 5-day cricket,” he says about working the batsmen and setting up wickets. What Dogra also did was make them feel like a million bucks. “I firmly believe 5 good bowlers can win you tournaments. Good batsmen only win you matches,” he states.Story continues below this ad
It’s been more a case of him learning from them. “Aggression. I like their attitude. Looking at them, even I feel like being aggressive.”
Modest leader
On his own century, Dogra waves it away as nothing. “At this age, I’m very normal about these things. Just the team should win.” He even says rather seriously that he owes the team gratitude for staying patient with his lacklustre scores. “I thank them for supporting me. Koi aur team mein hota toh ab tak out hota,” he says, glad the century helped him pull his weight.
Dogra’s promotion as an ‘outsider’ promoted to captaincy wasn’t without murmurs and controversy. And his lack of runs popped up during the Abdul Samad omission conundrum. But the team topped the group, beating Mumbai and Baroda on the way despite his own scratchy form remaining a worry. “These phases happen in cricket. I stay calm whether I score 0 or 100. Stay in the present. Cricket is played for 5-6 hours, other 18 hours worries you can’t let it drag you down,” he says. “I couldn’t get set because I didn’t spend enough time on the wicket. Little bit of concentration issue.”
While he was being observed for a couple of years as he played for Pondicherry, this season started on a trial basis. “It took time. We started at the Buchi Babu tournament in Chennai. I slowly learnt their nature, decide ki bamboo dena hai or talk nicely,” he laughs. “Pyaar se bolne se kaam ho jaata hai,” he concluded. “They’re really good guys and good leners. They are mature and responsible.”Story continues below this ad
Kerala have been digging their heels in with their middle and late order, and are perfectly capable of seeing this through to make the semis. But Dogra has played far too much cricket to know it’s not over till it’s over.
Teammates speak about his calm nature, not prone to anger. He doesn’t fret over the 1-run lead ceded, nor catches dropped. “Ho gayaa woh ho gayaa (What’s done is done). You can’t waste energy on regrets. Even if catches are dropped (Salman Nizar, who helped Kerala get the lead, was dropped too), I tell them it’s dropped our people only. Happens in cricket,” he says unfrazzled.

Brief scores: J&K 280 & 399/9 declared (Paras Dogra 132, Kanhaiya Wadhawan 64, Sahil Lotra 59; MD Nidheesh 4/89) vs Kerala 281 & 100/2