Aditya sarvate

Paras Dogra: With Jammu & Kasmir on the cusp of a historic maiden Ranji Trophy semifinal, the veteran batter and skipper Paras Dogra delivered under pressure to register his maiden First-Class century of the season after 14 innings and eight matches, crafting a sublime 132 off 232 balls to power his team to 399/9 in the second innings, securing a commanding 398-run lead over Kerala.

Despite J&K’s strong position, the match remains delicately poised, with Kerala reaching 100/2 at stumps on Day 4, still trailing by 299 runs. Going into the final day, Kerala will look to bat out three sessions, while J&K’s bowlers must rise to the challenge and script a fairytale finish.

Dogra’s innings was a testament to patience and skill as he weathered Kerala’s pace attack before unleashing his trademark fluency. He built two crucial partnerships — a 146-run stand with Kanhaiya Wadhawan, followed by a 50-run partnership with Sahil Lotra —ensuring that J&K stretched their lead to near-insurmountable proportions.