Jammu & Kashmir Win Toss, Bat First in Big Final

Jammu & Kashmir have won the toss and decided to bat against Karnataka in the Ranji Trophy 2025-26 final at Hubballi. Captain Paras Dogra chose to put runs on the board in their first-ever Ranji final. Karnataka remain unchanged, while J&K made two team changes.

Team Changes and Playing XI Update

J&K brought in Qamran Iqbal and Sahil Lotra. Vanshaj Sharma and Shubham Khajuria miss out this time. The team management clearly wanted a fresh balance for the big day.

Karnataka kept the same XI from their semi-final win. That shows confidence. With experienced names like KL Rahul, Mayank Agarwal, Devdutt Padikkal, and Karun Nair, their batting looks deep and settled.

Road to the Final

Jammu & Kashmir have had a strong knockout run. They defeated Bengal in the semi-final. Before that, they got past Madhya Pradesh in the quarter-final. Momentum seems with them, honestly.

Karnataka’s path was dramatic. They moved ahead in the semi-final against Uttarakhand on first-innings lead. Earlier, they chased 325 against Mumbai. In the group stage, they stunned Punjab by chasing 250 in just 28 overs. That kind of confidence matters in finals.

Key Battle to Watch

This final may turn into bowlers versus batters. J&K’s bowling trio of Auqib Nabi, Sunil Kumar, and Abid Mushtaq has been impressive throughout the season. They can trouble any lineup.

On the other side, Karnataka’s in-form batters have delivered under pressure. If Rahul or Padikkal settles in, things could shift quickly.

History Favors Karnataka

The two sides have met four times earlier in Ranji Trophy history. Karnataka won all four matches. That record gives them a mental edge, maybe a small one but still.

Still, finals are different. Records sometimes fade when pressure builds. Jammu & Kashmir are playing with belief. Karnataka are playing with experience. The first session after the toss will set the tone.