New Delhi: Jammu & Kashmir batsman Abdul Samad has finally buried the ghost of his past, which has been haunting him for the last six years. With J&K’s triumph over Karnataka in the Ranji Trophy final, Samad can finally let go of a mistake that cost his team a semi-final berth.
In 2020, during the quarter-final against the same opponent, the big-hitting Samad went for a six and ended up giving his wicket at a time when J&K needed 10 runs to win. The team lost the game by 10 runs.
“It haunted me for a very long time and I think this win will solve it all. I can be at peace,” Samad told ThePrint, as J&K defeated eight-time champions Karnataka courtesy first innings lead in the Ranji Trophy 2026 final at the KSCA ground in Hubballi.
As his elated team members clicked pictures and cheered to savour the maiden Ranji Trophy title, Samad, being the shy person that he is, stepped behind soaking the moment from a distance.
The 24-year-old led J&K’s batting power this season with 748 runs in 10 matches, averaging 57.73, with a strike rate of 69.00. He finished with one hundred and five fifties.
“I was trying to enjoy my game, while keeping the situation in mind. No mantra to it,” he said about his gameplay this season.
A confident innings to further propel J&K 🔝
🎥 Here's how Abdul Samad compiled a crucial knock of 61(104) in the #RanjiTrophy Final 🙌
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He dedicated the Ranji win to all the players and to the Jammu & Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA). But, he doesn’t forget to highlight the impact this win will have on the ground.
“This is going to change lives…of the players as well as the people of J&K. The people in the region will be more interested in cricket now. I think they will give the sport a shot. We are gonna see a lot of people in the trials.”
Samad, who hails from Kalakote area of Rajouri district, made his first-class debut in 2019–20. He caught everyone’s attention from the beginning, thanks to his explosive batting that had the potential to turn around the match in a session.
Not to forget that Samad is the third cricketer from J&K to feature in the Indian Premier League, after Parvez Rasool and Rasikh Salam. The right hand batsman has scored 741 runs in 63 IPL matches (52 innings).
Known for his aggressive finishing, he has maintained a strike rate above 145, and has hit over 35 sixes. He was previously with Sunrisers Hyderabad, a franchise with which he made his debut in 2020, and was acquired by Lucknow Super Giants for IPL 2025.
Often, his daring and explosive approach meant losing his wicket cheaply. That also led to head coach Ajay Sharma dropping him from the team, to give out a message to the squad that if Samad can be dropped, so can others.
“He is a brilliant talent. I was just getting disappointed about why he was throwing away his wicket? So I dropped him for a game, and he took it very sportingly. He made a comeback even stronger,” Sharma recalled.
On Wednesday, the coach gave him a clear objective: bat for as long as you can. And Samad listened. He scored a half century, 61 runs off 104 balls at a strike rate of 58.65. It included six 4s and one 6. On Friday, even when J&K had a 291-run lead as security, Samad made sure that he didn’t fall for the bait.
Even when Karnataka leg-spinner Shreyas Gopal shifted to a negative line outside leg stump, Samad didn’t show any impulsive charge. There was no flashy counter. Just patience.
But, it is safe to say that Samad hasn’t completely let go of his core batting philosophy. His 32 runs, in J&K’s second innings, came in 70 balls, and it included four 4s and one 6. But, then again, he lost his wicket for a sudden sweep off Gopal’s delivery.
“I think it’s a self-realisation,” Samad admitted, explaining that he made his debut at the age of 18. So his mindset and approach was quite aggressive. “Today I am 24. I guess I am getting matured as well. As a batter, I am maturing day by day.”
Samad credits coach Sharma for bringing a change in the atmosphere of the dressing room. “He created an atmosphere where everybody can perform their best. He gave everyone their role, and all of us followed because he has plenty of experience in domestic cricket. We got to learn a lot from his work ethics,” the batter said.
Captain Paras Dogra was full of praise of his teammate’s performance, saying that he thoroughly enjoys Samad’s batting while underlying his growth as a cricketer.
According to Dogra, Samad has evolved tremendously in the last couple of years, and has brought some restraint in his batting, while also treating his fans with glimpses of his powerpack hitting. “He is a very talented and gifted player. He is just getting started, and I am sure he’ll represent India soon,” the J&K skipper added.
(Edited by Tony Rai)
Also Read: Jammu’s power-hitters, Kashmir’s fast bowlers & the Manhas touch. Inside story of J&K’s Ranji glory