Ranji Trophy: Karnataka coach Yere Goud backs J and K pacer Auqib Nabi for Tests

Auqib Nabi after J&K’s win on Saturday. Pic/PTI; (right) Yere Goud

Karnataka head coach Yere Goud lavished praise on Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) pacer Auqib Nabi (5-54), who has emerged as the top wicket-taker with 60 scalps this season. Nabi played a crucial role as J&K beat Karnataka in the final at Hubbali on Saturday to register their maiden Ranji Trophy triumph.

Goud reckoned Nabi's fiery spell, dismissing KL Rahul (13), Karun Nair (0) and Ravichandran Smaran (0) within a span of just 23 balls, made the difference.

"Nabi got those crucial three wickets in the span of just a few overs. That spell made the difference. He performed well in the domestic season and the [national] selectors should have definitely look at him in terms of Test cricket," Goud told Sunday mid-day over the phone from Hubballi.

Goud also admitted that Karnataka's poor bowling performance hurt them in the decider as J&K posted a mammoth 584 in the first innings. In reply, Karnataka were dismissed for just 293. In the second innings, J&K reached 342-4, thanks to unbeaten centuries by Qamran Iqbal (160 not out) and Sahil Lotra (101 not out), before the game was awarded to J&K on the basis of the first innings lead.

"They [J&K] batted brilliantly. To be honest, on Day One, we could have bowled better and probably taken more wickets too. Giving them 584 runs is always an uphill task to chase. The consistency was not there in terms of the area our bowlers wanted to hit. That's where we missed out and conceded a lot of runs from both, pacers and spinners," added Goud.

Brief scores
J&K 584 & 342-4d (Q Iqbal 160', S Lotra 101'; P Krishna 2-42) beat Karnataka 293 (on 1st innings)

60
No. of wickets claimed by Player of the Tournament Auqib Nabi - the most in this Ranji season