Jammu and Kashmir took firm control of the Ranji Trophy final on Day 1 in Hubballi, riding on a superb unbeaten century from Shubham Pundir and solid support from Yawer Hassan and Abdul Samad. The morning session belonged briefly to Karnataka’s pace attack. Prasidh Krishna, Vidhyadhar Patil and Vyshak Vijaykumar found movement with the new ball and asked plenty of questions. The J&K openers were repeatedly beaten outside the off stump as the pitch offered early assistance.

Qamran Iqbal, drafted in after Shubham Khajuria was ruled out with a back spasm, struggled to settle and fell early for 6, edging a delivery from Prasidh to KL Rahul in the slips. At that stage, Karnataka sensed an opportunity. But that was as good as it got for the hosts.

Pundir and Hassan Shift the Momentum

Shubham Pundir walked in during the 11th over and, alongside Yawer Hassan, steadied the innings before gradually turning the tide. The pair added 139 runs for the second wicket in a partnership that transformed the complexion of the contest. Hassan began cautiously but soon found his rhythm, punishing anything loose. A couple of overpitched deliveries were dispatched through the covers, setting the tone for a confident innings. He reached his maiden first-class half-century in style and eventually compiled a fluent 88, decorated with crisp boundaries and composed strokeplay. At the other end, Pundir mixed patience with intent. He was particularly effective against the quicks once the ball softened and did not allow the spinners to settle either. His footwork against spin stood out, and he frequently used the sweep and lofted drives to disrupt Karnataka’s plans.

Karnataka’s Missed Chances

The hosts did themselves no favours in the field. A couple of reviews went against them, and chances were not taken at crucial moments. A missed stumping opportunity and a dropped catch further dented their hopes of regaining control. Prasidh Krishna, however, remained the most threatening bowler. He eventually broke the stand when Hassan edged one to the slips, providing Karnataka some relief. But by then, J&K had already laid a strong foundation. J&K skipper Paras Dogra endured a tough spell in the middle. Struck by a sharp bouncer and later hit again on the hand, he was forced to retire hurt after a brief stay.

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Samad Joins the Party

With the platform set, Abdul Samad joined Pundir and ensured the pressure stayed on Karnataka. The duo accelerated in the final session, taking advantage of inconsistent lengths and tiring bowlers. Pundir brought up his fourth first-class century in confident fashion, stepping out to clear the boundary and raise his bat. It was an innings marked by discipline early on and authority later. By stumps, Jammu and Kashmir had reached 284 for 2 in 87 overs, firmly in command. Pundir remained unbeaten on 117, while Samad closed the day on 52 not out, with more runs in sight on Day 2.

Karnataka, who fielded an unchanged side, will need early breakthroughs to claw their way back into the final. For now, though, the advantage clearly rests with Jammu and Kashmir.