The Ranji Trophy final between Karnataka and Jammu & Kashmir turned tense on day two in Hubli. Captain Paras Dogra faced a 50% match fee deduction after allegedly headbutting Karnataka’s substitute fielder KV Anish during the 101st over of J&K’s first innings.
Dogra, batting with Kanhaiya Wadhavan, smashed a boundary off pacer Prassidh Krishna. Words were exchanged with Anish at forward short leg. Tempers flared as Dogra advanced, making contact that injured the helmeted substitute.
Karnataka skipper Mayank Agarwal rushed in to calm things, while umpires intervened promptly. Reports indicate Dogra apologized at over’s end, but Anish reportedly refused it. Karnataka seniors voiced strong disapproval.
The drama didn’t stop there. Soon after, Karnataka’s Vijaykumar Vyshak and Wadhavan clashed during a run-out attempt, escalating the heated atmosphere.
Post-play, the 41-year-old Dogra, a domestic stalwart with over 10,000 Ranji runs, downplayed it to Cricbuzz: ‘Just passion in a final. We sorted it right there.’ Wadhavan, non-striker, shrugged it off as ‘part of the game, some sledging from both sides.’
Dogra scored 70 in the innings as J&K reached 527/6 by stumps. This incident mars an otherwise stellar campaign for the veteran leader, highlighting the high stakes of knockout cricket.