NEW DELHI: The last time Qamran Iqbal played competitive cricket, it took him nearly 2,800 kms and a frantic 15 hours to get there. Called up at short notice, the 24-year-old endured a chaotic journey that has stayed with him ever since. This time, though, there is no last-minute scramble. Iqbal arrived at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence (CoE) four days before the Duleep Trophy, giving himself time to settle in and prepare for the challenge ahead.Iqbal is one of six members of Jammu & Kashmir’s Ranji Trophy-winning side picked for North Zone, and they will open their campaign against West Zone from Sunday. “My last Bengaluru trip was something else,” Iqbal tells TimesofIndia.com.
I arrived around 8 in the morning on match day and went almost straight to the ground.
Qamran Iqbal | J&K opener
Six months ago, on February 23, a day before the Ranji Trophy final, Qamran Iqbal was relaxing at his home in Srinagar when, around 3 pm, his phone rang. Jammu and Kashmir needed him in Hubballi, nearly 2,800 kms away, after opener Shubham Khajuria was ruled out with an injury.The 24-year-old immediately embarked on a cross-country journey, arriving at the venue barely an hour before the toss. Less than 24 hours after receiving the call-up, Qamran produced the innings of his life, scoring an unbeaten 160 in the second innings to steer Jammu and Kashmir to their maiden Ranji Trophy title, defeating Karnataka on the basis of the first-innings lead.“Everything happened suddenly,” he says.“I left Srinagar that same night. I took a late-night flight and travelled through Delhi and Mumbai before reaching Hubballi. I arrived around 8 in the morning on match day and went almost straight to the ground. A day earlier, I was somewhere else and suddenly I was playing a Ranji Trophy final. It felt a little strange.“I wasn’t feeling pressure as such, but there was some travel fatigue. Still, it was fine because everyone in the team contributed. It was truly a team effort, and that’s why we won. It was a dream come true for the entire team. Winning the Ranji Trophy was a special feeling for everyone associated with Jammu and Kashmir cricket. It felt really good,” he continues.
Hubballi: Jammu and Kashmir’s Qamran Iqbal plays a shot on day five of the Ranji Trophy 2025-26 final cricket match between Karnataka and Jammu and Kashmir, at KSCA Cricket Stadium, in Hubballi, Dharwad district. (PTI Photo/Shailendra Bhojak)(PTI02_28_2026_000156A)
The youngster, who once opened the batting alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal for India Under-19, cherishes the Ranji Trophy triumph but insists it is only the beginning. Having been named in North Zone’s 15-member Duleep Trophy squad, he is determined to achieve bigger things.“I want to achieve a lot more in my cricket career. Winning the Ranji Trophy for the first time made me very proud, and I was happy that I could contribute to the team’s success. But this is only the beginning. I want to achieve much more,” he says.
Mithun sir has been working with us for the last four or five years and has created an excellent structure during the off-season. He regularly visits our camps, and we play tournaments like the Buchi Babu Tournament and other invitational competitions before the domestic season.
Qamran Iqbal
The secret behind J&K’s success
Earlier this year, Aqib Nabi, in an exclusive interview with TimesofIndia.com, spoke about how the arrival of P. Krishnakumar as bowling coach helped transform his bowling. Qamran also credits the Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association management, particularly current BCCI president Mithun Manhas, for creating a roadmap that eventually led to the historic Ranji Trophy triumph.“For the last two or three years, the entire support staff and management have backed us completely. The association regularly sends us on exposure tours. Mithun sir has been working with us for the last four or five years and has created an excellent structure during the off-season. He regularly visits our camps, and we play tournaments like the Buchi Babu Tournament and other invitational competitions before the domestic season. It has made a huge difference,” says Qamran.
Qamran Iqbal of Jammu & Kashmir Ranji team on his way to 160 runs against Karnataka at the finals at Rajnagar KSCA cricket stadium in Hubbali on Saturday. (Photo: Syed Asif)
“Mithun sir has played a massive role in developing cricket in Jammu and Kashmir. Because of the exposure he has given players during the off-season, it becomes much easier to perform once the domestic season begins. Ajay Sharma sir, our coach, has also been outstanding. He has played cricket at the highest level, and the small technical tips he gives us are extremely valuable.”Qamran started as an U-14 in Jammu and Kashmir cricket. He believes the standard of the sport and infrastructure has improved tremendously in the past few years.
Since Mithun sir came in, the facilities have improved a lot. We now have different types of wickets to prepare on, including turf wickets, grass wickets and spin-friendly surfaces.
Qamran Iqbal
“Since Mithun sir came in, the facilities have improved a lot. We now have different types of wickets to prepare on, including turf wickets, grass wickets and spin-friendly surfaces. The overall infrastructure has become much better, and players now have access to everything they need.“Before every domestic season, we play tournaments like the Buchi Babu Tournament against strong teams from other states. Those matches build confidence. When you step into domestic cricket, you don’t feel like it’s your first game because you’ve already played quality cricket during the pre-season. That experience has helped me immensely,” he says.The journeyQamran’s father, Dr. Iqbal, is a doctor by profession and a passionate cricket follower. It was he who encouraged his son to pursue the sport.“My father took me to the ground for the first time. He wasn’t a cricketer himself, but he loved the game and was very interested in cricket. He introduced me to the sport when I was playing Under-14 cricket at the Sher-e-Kashmir Cricket Stadium,” he recalls.
Hubballi: Jammu and Kashmir’s Qamran Iqbal plays a shot on day five of the Ranji Trophy 2025-26 final cricket match between Karnataka and Jammu and Kashmir, at KSCA Cricket Stadium, in Hubballi, Dharwad district. (PTI Photo/Shailendra Bhojak)(PTI02_28_2026_000064A)
“From there, I progressed through the age groups. I played Under-16, then Under-19, represented North Zone and eventually made it to the India Under-19 setup.”Qamran narrowly missed out on India’s squad for the 2020 Under-19 World Cup, but he still treasures his time with the national junior side, where he opened the batting alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal.“I was part of that group and played three series with the India Under-19 team. I wasn’t selected for the World Cup squad, but being in that environment was a great learning experience. I performed reasonably well in India Under-19 cricket. I had several scores in the 80s and 90s, but I couldn’t convert them into a century. I think that made the difference, and I missed out,” he says.
