Jammu/Srinagar: Last year, when Mithun Manhas invited then Puducherry captain Paras Dogra to join the Jammu and Kashmir cricket squad as their professional skipper, it raised quite a few eyebrows.
Several in the J&K’s cricketing circles felt that the then 39-year-old was too old to be recruited, let alone appointed captain. Some predicted the decision would backfire. But Manhas held firm.
And J&K’s performances over the last two Ranji seasons have since silenced the critics. Dogra gave the long-desired stability to the team. Of the 13 matches he has led the J&K side in, the team has lost just one.
Currently, the team stands second in the Ranji Group D, trailing only domestic heavyweights Mumbai.
Born and raised in Palampur, Himachal Pradesh, Dogra’s leadership helped neutralise religion- and region-based differences within the team. Yet he refuses to take any credit.
“The talent was always there, all they needed was just a little direction. I just did that. I don’t exercise too much control either, a little control does the job,” Dogra told ThePrint in an exclusive interview.
“I never believed in the concept of senior-junior. I always aimed to establish good relationships and be a good listener. I often take their inputs and respect their opinions.”
In the bustling and ever-competitive lanes of Indian domestic cricket, where careers often fade before they flourish, Dogra has carved out a story that refuses to dim.
At 41, an age when most players have long packed away their kits and ventured into the life-after-cricket including coaching, Dogra is not only leading a team but also piling up runs.
Dogra went past former India batter Ajay Sharma’s tally of 31 hundreds in the Ranji Trophy. And, with 34 tons, he is now second only to Wasim Jaffer’s 40 tons in the premier domestic competition.
He is also second to Jaffer in the list for batters with most runs in the Ranji Trophy. Dogra has accumulated over 10,345 runs, while Jaffer has 12,038 runs to his name.
Yet, what stands out most about Dogra now is not what he has done, but what he still believes he can do. And, winning the Ranji Trophy 2025-26 sits right at the top.
“This bunch can win the Ranji Trophy. And, as a skipper, I gave them the belief, because I truly believe they can,” he said.
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‘Always return not-out’
Dogra got emotional reflecting on his career. “I have been around for a long time,” he said, with a humble smile. Dogra credits his father Kultaar Kumar Dogra, whom he called his first coach, mentor and constant critic, for his success.
His father was also a cricketer and he took Dogra along on one of practice sessions, and it was enough to make him fall in love with the sport. Dogra never imagined cricket would become such a significant part of his life.
While his dad was a strong pillar in his journey, Dogra revealed that “it was difficult to make him happy”.
“Once I scored a century against Delhi, but we lost the match, so he wasn’t happy at all. He always wanted to be on the winning side,” the 41-year-old recalled.
But staying in Palampur couldn’t do much for Dogra. So, when his father’s job with the Food Corporation of India took the family to Delhi, the move proved transformational. In Delhi, he accessed far better cricket infrastructure, more nets, tougher competition, and leagues that honed his game.
But more than the facilities, it was his father’s unyielding expectations that left the deepest imprint. He had a simple but powerful rule: return to the pavilion not out.
In 148 matches and 238 innings, Dogra has remained unbeaten in 25.
Over time, this taught him the value of finishing innings, of taking responsibility, of building marathon innings, rather than just flashy starts.
“My father taught me that a century doesn’t serve any purpose if the team isn’t winning. The runs are going to waste so one must stay till the end and bring the win home,” he said.
Tragically, Dogra lost his father in 2009 to liver failure.
But, he continues to carry his father’s legacy in every not-out he plays, in every long stay at the crease, and in every mentoring word he offers to younger teammates.
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A roller coaster
From a prolific start with Himachal Pradesh, where he piled centuries and earned an India A call-up, to reinventing himself with Puducherry and later taking charge of J&K, Dogra kept evolving.
He did not have a great IPL career, but he built a formidable Ranji legacy, becoming the tournament’s second-highest run-scorer and a stabilising, inspiring leader for J&K’s young side.
Dogra made his first-class debut for Himachal Pradesh in the 2001–02 season. His time with Himachal was productive: he played nearly a 100 Ranji matches, crafting big hundreds, piling up runs, and quietly building a legacy.
Dogra’s best season came in 2012-13, when he scored five hundreds in eight matches for Himachal Pradesh, three of them coming in successive innings.
Following his performance, selectors picked Dogra in the India A squad for a series of unofficial Tests, in 2013, against the touring West Indies A side. Dogra, though, played only one match, and batted only once, scoring 7 before being bowled by Nikita Miller.
Later, he made the sixth and seventh double-hundreds of his career in successive innings in the 2015-16 season against Tripura and Services. He ended the season with 703 runs at an average of 78.11.
Having played for Himachal for long, Dogra made a bold move, he shifted to Puducherry to take on a leadership role and offer his experience to a young side. He immediately made history for the side, becoming the first centurion for the team in Ranji Trophy cricket.
Over five seasons with Puducherry, he amassed 11 centuries, showcasing not just consistency but also his hunger for new challenges.
And, ahead of the 2024–25 season, yet another massive shift shocked Dogra’s fans. He took on the reins of Jammu & Kashmir cricket team.
“Mithun sir spoke to me and said, ‘share your journey and experience with the kids. And, I took up the challenge’,” Dogra said.
At this stage in career, many would have welcomed a quiet retirement. Instead, he took on a new challenge. While he took up the leadership role, Dogra continued to deliver with the bat as well. In October 2024, during a match against Services in Srinagar, he crossed a historic milestone: becoming the second-highest run-scorer in the history of the Ranji Trophy, surpassing veterans like Devendra Bundela and Amol Muzumdar.
Dogra also holds other remarkable records — he has the most hundreds among active Ranji players, and he is tied for the joint-most double centuries (nine) in the tournament with Cheteshwar Pujara.
But, Dogra did not have a noticeable run in the Indian Premier League (IPL) though. He was a regular member of the Rajasthan Royals side in the IPL 2010 season, playing nine matches for a highest score of 41.
Then, he was only a peripheral presence in the IPL for the next few years, playing three matches for Kings XI Punjab in 2012 and one for Kolkata Knight Riders in 2013. Gujarat Lions picked him up for his base price of Rs 10 lakh at the IPL 2016 auction. But, he didn’t get a chance to play.
His last IPL appearance was against Sunrisers Hyderabad, on 19 May 2013, at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium. “When I played the IPL, there was a lot of competition,” Dogra said, while not dismissing the fact that competition still exists. But, the management has improved.
He explained that capped Indian and international players form the core of every IPL team. And, there were not too many choices for domestic players back then.
“There wasn’t any support or push given to such players. Now if coaches see potential, they back it up. Social media backs them up. So your talent, nowadays, doesn’t get unnoticed,” he said.
The J&K call-up
Dogra’s arrival in the J&K team was not an impulsive call. It was part of a larger vision: to bring maturity, discipline, and a steady hand to a side that has often punched above its weight but has not been able to go all the way, probably because it lacked seasoned leadership.
“We observed Paras. He has got brains and skills. Since he came on board, he brought stabilisation to our team,” said Brigadier Anil Gupta (retired), who heads administration in the Jammu & Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA).
Dogra’s teammate, fast bowler Aquib Nabi also lauded his captaincy.
“He (Dogra) has brought the boys together and has charged up the dressing room. The best part is that he works in sync with each player and works with them towards improving the overall performance. Under him, the team has begun to embrace structure, mental toughness, and a fighting spirit,” Nabi said.
‘Marathon man’
Dogra’s strength is not just in the volume of runs he scores, but in his enduring commitment to the game. He has been called Himachal’s “marathon man,” and that label fits. He is someone who builds innings, builds careers, builds teams.
His fitness, just like his performance, is also inspirational.
Brigadier Gupta (retired) called him the “fittest” player around, who could give youngsters a run for their money.
When asked about the reason behind his fitness, Dogra blushed, and said he wants to lead by example. He emphasised the J&K boys are particular about their training sessions. “But, when I dive on the field,” he added, “it pushes my team as well, even if they are tired. They think, ‘if he can do it at 41, so can we’.”
Off-field, Dogra sheds the captaincy mantle. He is less of a skipper and more of a friend to the young boys. Dogra is extremely proud of the performances the squad is putting up this season, and it is evident in his voice.
“There is a very positive atmosphere in the dressing room. We are not depending on 1-2 people, every match has a new match winner, everyone is contributing,” he said.
He drives the team with the philosophy of ‘maintain standard; think big’
“I tell them to stop every run possible, strive for being Man of the Match every time and think big,” said Dogra.
About himself, he said, he has started to enjoy the sport now more than ever.
Though he is giving his 100 percent, in some corner of his heart there is a regret of not being able to play for India. Hence, he goes over and beyond to groom the J&K squad.
“This bunch is ready, they have the potential to play for India and through them I will be able to live my dream,” he added.
(Edited by Ajeet Tiwari)
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