‘Heat of the Moment’: Paras Dogra Brushes Off Head-Butting Flashpoint in Ranji Final

Paras Dogra has downplayed his head-butting altercation with Karnataka substitute fielder KV Aneesh during the Ranji Trophy final, insisting the incident was “not a big thing” and had been settled on the field.

The flashpoint occurred on day two of the Ranji Trophy final between Jammu & Kashmir and Karnataka in Hubballi. Shortly after striking a boundary off Prasidh Krishna, Dogra was involved in a heated exchange. As tensions escalated, Dogra approached Aneesh and made contact helmet-to-helmet.

Speaking after stumps, Dogra sought to defuse the controversy. “It was just in a little heat of the moment, not a big thing. It is all settled now,” he said. “It was momentary. We started talking and chatting after that so it’s all well.”

The incident did little to derail Jammu & Kashmir’s dominance on the day, as they surged to 527 for 6 to seize control of the final. Dogra contributed a determined 70, returning to bat after briefly retiring hurt earlier in the session. He later added 110 for the sixth wicket with Kanhaiya Wadhawan, reinforcing his side’s strong position.

Dogra said the team’s focus remains firmly on batting as long as possible to secure a decisive first-innings lead. “We can get the result from the first-innings lead as well, so we will try to bat as long as we can,” he said, acknowledging Karnataka’s strength with the bat.

The J&K captain also revealed he had undertaken a one-hour drill against short-pitched bowling before play, preparation that helped him counter Karnataka’s pace attack in a high-pressure final.

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