KOLKATA: As Jammu and Kashmir celebrated their historic title win against Karnataka in the Ranji Trophy final on Saturday, one man was stood there motionless. There have been many beautiful victories that he had been part of but nothing could match the one that was enacted on the cricket ground in Hubballi. Myriad emotions flashed by as he recollected the days when he was first offered the J&K bowling coach job.
Krishna Kumar comes across as a quiet person who usually refrains from speaking about himself. On Saturday, as he was savouring the win, he opened up about his first brush with cricket in the Valley. The first few days were the most difficult part of his life. Not because of the challenge that lay ahead but because of the situation in the Valley. His family was not at all comfortable for him to go there.
Already into coaching for around two decades, 52-year-old Kumar was with the Uttarakhand team before accepting the role with J&K in 2023. After working with Uttarakhand for four years, Kumar was in search of a new challenge and tried his luck with teams like Goa, Kerala, Baroda and his home state Rajasthan. Fate, however, had something else in store. He came to know about J&K vacancy through one of his acquaintances and decided to try his luck. But his wife was apprehensive.
"She was worried, I must say a lot and that was obvious as most of us have built a perception about J&K and it makes people apprehensive over safety concerns," Kumar told this daily when asked about the first reaction from his family members when he decided to join the team.
It took Kumar's wife almost a year to get convinced and once that happened she not only accompanied her husband but visited almost all the places in J&K. "Today she is as happy as I am. She was worried about my safety and I understood it. It takes time and she also took time to understand my decision," added the coach.
Faith in J&K: Will win Ranji
Soon after joining the team, Kumar was at the NCA for his presentation which was part of his Level 3 Coaching examination. The examiners included former India batter VVS Laxman, Apurva Desai, Rajib Dutta and Troy Cooley. Kumar in his presentation showed how J&K can lift the Ranji Trophy in the next few years. Intrigued, one of the examiners questioned reasons behind his strong conviction.
"I have seen the talent and I was pretty convinced that they can be the champions of the premier domestic tournament. I conveyed to the examiners what I thought. I know they must be thinking about that even today. I know it's difficult to fathom it a few years ago but being with the team, I had seen that potential and see it has come true today," reminisced the coach.
Magician Nabi
Pacer Auqib Nabi, who finished as the leading wicket taker of the tournament with 60 scalps, will go down as one of the most famous wards of Kumar no matter where he goes. Ahead of the final with domestic heavyweights Karnataka between them and title, Kumar was an assured man. In fact, he never thought of the famed batting line of their opponents that comprised India Test players like KL Rahul, Mayank Agarwal and Karun Nair.
"It wouldn't look believable now but I never fretted over their batting line because I have magician Nabi with me. I know he will take care of them. Nabi's greatest strength is his calmness. He will be the same man even if he picks a fifer or fails to bag any. I always said his wrist position is one of the best in the world and it will stand him in a good stead everywhere."
Nabi claimed seven fifers across 17 innings with the strike rate of 28.43 and bowling average of 12.56. His economy of 2.65 highlights how he contains the run flow and then inflicts damages on his opponents.
Intuitions and signs
An ardent follower of Neem Karoli Baba, Kumar's WhatsApp DP has a picture of the saint. Kumar said he had that inkling since the beginning that this year his team will win the coveted title. "It has happened almost 15 times. Whenever there was a partnership growing up, I always prayed to Maharaj to break it and that happened somehow. Even in the final, our batters played and missed for around 40-50 times. There were edges, ball hitting stumps but bails not coming off. So there were signs that we will win it. I know we worked hard for it but you need luck as well. Luck didn't favour us last season when Kerala took a one-run lead against us in the quarterfinals and eliminated us on the basis of the first innings lead. But this season, I was getting indications and I am more than happy that God was kind to us and helped us win the title," signed off Kumar.
Kumar and family can now revel in the glory now not because the former is safe but his decision paid dividends changing the cricketing history of J&K and also making the coach a part of the folklore.