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.
READ ALSO: EXCLUSIVE | 'Redemption? No. It was a responsibility': BCCI president Mithun Manhas opens up on J&K's rise
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.
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 ******* le, 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 ******* ociated with Jammu and Kashmir cricket. It felt really good," he continues.
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.
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 ******* ociation management,
READ ALSO: EXCLUSIVE | 'Redemption? No. It was a responsibility': BCCI president Mithun Manhas opens up on J&K's rise
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.
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 ******* le, 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 ******* ociated with Jammu and Kashmir cricket. It felt really good," he continues.
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.
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 ******* ociation management,
2 months ago
