Jammu & Kashmir Captain Paras Dogra Addresses Head-Butt Incident in Ranji Trophy Final
Jammu and Kashmir captain Paras Dogra on Wednesday played down the on-field incident where he head-butted Karnataka substitute fielder KV Aneesh during the second day of the Ranji Trophy final. The altercation occurred after Dogra hit a boundary off India pacer Prasidh Krishna, leading to a heated exchange that culminated in the physical contact.
Incident Details and Immediate Aftermath
The confrontation reportedly began earlier when Dogra, who scored 70 runs, was beaten by a delivery from Prasidh Krishna that went past the slip cordon. Words were exchanged, and tensions escalated until Dogra head-butted Aneesh on the helmet. Speaking about the day's play, where Jammu and Kashmir reached an impressive 527/6 to take control of the match, Dogra provided his perspective on the incident.
"Very good, to be honest. We are in a good position," Dogra said about his team's performance. "That's what matters for me. All that keeps happening and especially when you are playing a final or something (like that), a bit of it happens."
Dogra's Explanation and Team Strategy
Dogra emphasized that the head-butt was a momentary lapse in judgment. "It was just in a little heat of the moment. Not a big thing. Yeah, it is all settled now. That’s (a hot day) a different thing and it was momentary. We started talking and chatting after that so it’s all well," he added, as cited by news agency PTI.
Regarding the match strategy, Dogra revealed that Jammu and Kashmir would try to bat for as long as possible to secure a first-innings lead. "No, we haven't set a target, to be honest. We can get the result from the first innings lead as well so we will try to bat as long as we can," he explained. "Mostly everyone (in J&K camp) is satisfied but still we can go (bat) long. Everyone knows Karnataka is a good batting side. We would try to put as many runs as we can."
Key Partnerships and Preparation
Dogra shared a crucial 110-run stand for the sixth wicket with Kanhaiya Wadhawan, who also made 70 runs. He detailed their partnership strategy: "(We spoke about) having a good partnership. Let's dig in because this time won't come again. Try to give your best and take the team in a good position."
In terms of preparation, Dogra mentioned that he had worked on handling short-pitched bowling before the start of play but refrained from commenting on Karnataka's bowlers. "I can't comment on all those things. But we have worked hard. We have batted really well and that's why we have put a good score on the board. I will never say anything about the bowlers," he stated.
He elaborated on his training: "I had a talk with Ajay Sharma sir and Dishant Yagnik, our fielding coach. In the morning (when) I came, I did a one-hour drill for it (short pitch bowling)."
The incident has sparked discussions in the cricketing community, but Dogra's focus remains on his team's performance in the high-stakes final. With Jammu and Kashmir in a strong position, the captain's leadership and batting contributions continue to be pivotal as the match progresses.
