Ranji final: Who is Shubham Pundir, the J&K centurion against Karnataka?

Shubham Pundir, who? The 27-year-old lefthanded opener of Jammu & Kashmir is no rookie, but never really set the stage on fire in a first class career spanning over a decade during which he had been in and out of the team.

 However, the Dehradun-born batter turned heads in Indian cricket on Tuesday, 24 February, when he laid the foundation for a strong total with an unbeaten century in J & K’s first innings in their maiden Ranji Trophy final against a star-studded Karnataka in Hubli. Pundir’s unbeaten 117, along with a tenacious 88 from young Yawer Hassan, were the cornerstone of their batting effort to leave the underdogs well poised for a big total at 284 for two after first day’s play.

This was the batter's fourth first class century—and it remains to be seen whether Pundir can overhaul his career-best effort of 172.

 Keeping Pundir company was allrounder Abdul Samad (52), better known as the fresh faced allrounder, who plies his trade for Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL. Pundir and Samad, who had scored over 700 runs in this Ranji season, have added 105 for the third wicket after skipper Paras Dogra retired hurt—with the day underlining the grit which characterised their campaign through the long tournament.

 Opting to bat on a dry surface which may crumble as the match wears on, J & K lost Pundir’s opening partner Qamran Iqbal early to international paceman Prasiddh Krishna. It was one of the rare success which the storied Karnataka attack tasted throughout the day. The battle-scarred Doga, now 41 and in 25^th year of his domestic career, could not savour the big moment for his state when he was injured by a Prasiddh bouncer.

 Dogra was hit on his neck after which the seamer appealed for a catch at forward short-leg thinking that the ball may have grazed the glove, but replays showed that it did not and the batter was safe. However Dogra, while attempting to fend off the bouncer, did get hurt and the physio was called in to apply ice pack.

The J&K physio was summoned again after some time with the ice pack to tend to Dogra, who had by then taken a few blows and this time the skipper was on his way back to the dressing room after receiving a signal from coach Ajay Sharma. Pundir reached his hundred in style, smashing Shikhar Shetty for a six over deep mid-wicket.

 It remains to be seen whether Dogra, the second player from J & K to score 10,000 runs in Ranji Trophy, will be able to come out to bat again. A total in the region of 450 will give J & K’s prolific paceman Aqib Nabi & Co to have a go against marquee names likes Mayank Agarwal, Devdutt Padikkal, Karun Nayar and KL Rahul.