Former Team India stalwart Dinesh Karthik has declared Jammu & Kashmir pacer Aqib Nabi Dar as a champion after his impactful showing in the Ranji Trophy final against Karnataka. Karthik’s words carry weight, coming from someone who knows the grind of elite cricket.
Thursday’s play at Hubli saw Aqib strike thrice, troubling Karnataka’s batsmen on a testing surface. This isn’t a one-off; Aqib’s season-long dominance – 58 wickets in every match – speaks volumes about his character.
In a heartfelt X post, Karthik reflected on observing the tournament up close. He called on young cricketers to study Aqib’s blueprint: relentless fitness, consistent long bowling stints, and availability across varying conditions. ‘No bowler has matched this level lately,’ Karthik asserted.
For Karthik, Aqib’s secret lies in his mental fortitude – holding sway throughout the tournament and nearly single-handedly pushing his team toward glory. This, he believes, is the golden ticket to national selection.
Saluting Aqib as a champion, Karthik wished him the very best, confident his determination will inspire peers.
On the field, Jammu & Kashmir’s 584 first innings was built on Shubham Pundir’s 121, Paras Dogra’s 70, and Yawar Hassan’s 88. Karnataka reached 220/5 by stumps on day three, 364 runs adrift. Mayank Agarwal’s unbeaten 130 and Krithik Krishna’s 27 keep them in the hunt, but Aqib looms large.