The 2025–26 Ranji Trophy final has seen history being created. For the first time in 91 years, Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) have not only reached the final but beaten the eight-time champions, Karnataka, on their own turf in Hubballi. They now enter the Ranji Trophy winners list and become one of the only 18 teams in the history of the tournament to lift the prestigious first-class cricket trophy of India.

The Himalayan Charge: Jammu and Kashmir create history

J&K’s performance has been nothing short of a batting masterclass. A mammoth first-innings total of 584 was built on the back of a historic 121 by Shubham Pundir—the first centurion from J&K in a Ranji final. Contributions from Paras Dogra (70), despite a heated “head-butt” controversy, and Sahil Lotra (72) have left Karnataka staring at a mountainous deficit.

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The momentum surged further on Day 3 when pace sensation Auqib Nabi, the season’s breakout star with 55+ wickets, dismissed KL Rahul for just 13 with what experts are calling the “ball of the tournament.” With Karnataka’s star-studded lineup under immense pressure, J&K is currently the overwhelming favorite to secure the first-innings lead, which would guarantee them the trophy even in the event of a draw.

On Day 4, Karnataka were bowled out for 293, giving J&K a first innings lead of 291 runs. Batting in the second innings, the team from Jammu and Kashmir lost the first two wickets for just 11 runs on the board. But they built another stand as Qamran Iqbal hit century, they finished the game at 342/4 on February 28 (Saturday).

J&K Win Ranji Trophy: A New King of Domestic Cricket Crowned

What we are witnessing is a seismic shift. For decades, the Ranji Trophy winners list was a closed loop of traditional powerhouses. As J&K lift the trophy, they have become the first side from the northernmost tip of India to achieve this feat, proving that the gap between the “Elite” and “Plate” history is officially closed.

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Table- Ranji Trophy winners and runners-up full list from 1934 to 2025-26

SeasonWinnerRunner-up
1934–35BombayNorthern India
1935–36BombayMadras
1936–37NawanagarBengal
1937–38HyderabadNawanagar
1938–39BengalSouthern Punjab
1939–40MaharashtraUnited Provinces
1940–41MaharashtraMadras
1941–42BombayMysore
1942–43BarodaHyderabad
1943–44Western IndiaBengal
1944–45BombayHolkar
1945–46HolkarBaroda
1946–47BarodaHolkar
1947–48HolkarBombay
1948–49BombayBaroda
1949–50BarodaHolkar
1950–51HolkarGujarat
1951–52BombayHolkar
1952–53HolkarBengal
1953–54BombayHolkar
1954–55MadrasHolkar
1955–56BombayBengal
1956–57BombayServices
1957–58BarodaServices
1958–59BombayBengal
1959–60BombayMysore
1960–61BombayRajasthan
1961–62BombayRajasthan
1962–63BombayRajasthan
1963–64BombayRajasthan
1964–65BombayHyderabad
1965–66BombayRajasthan
1966–67BombayRajasthan
1967–68BombayMadras
1968–69BombayBengal
1969–70BombayRajasthan
1970–71BombayMaharashtra
1971–72BombayBengal
1972–73BombayTamil Nadu
1973–74KarnatakaRajasthan
1974–75BombayKarnataka
1975–76BombayBihar
1976–77BombayDelhi
1977–78KarnatakaUttar Pradesh
1978–79DelhiKarnataka
1979–80DelhiBombay
1980–81BombayDelhi
1981–82DelhiKarnataka
1982–83KarnatakaBombay
1983–84BombayDelhi
1984–85BombayDelhi
1985–86DelhiHaryana
1986–87HyderabadDelhi
1987–88Tamil NaduRailways
1988–89DelhiBengal
1989–90BengalDelhi
1990–91HaryanaBombay
1991–92DelhiTamil Nadu
1992–93PunjabMaharashtra
1993–94BombayBengal
1994–95BombayPunjab
1995–96KarnatakaTamil Nadu
1996–97MumbaiDelhi
1997–98KarnatakaUttar Pradesh
1998–99KarnatakaMadhya Pradesh
1999–00MumbaiHyderabad
2000–01BarodaRailways
2001–02RailwaysBaroda
2002–03MumbaiTamil Nadu
2003–04MumbaiTamil Nadu
2004–05RailwaysPunjab
2005–06Uttar PradeshBengal
2006–07MumbaiBengal
2007–08DelhiUttar Pradesh
2008–09MumbaiUttar Pradesh
2009–10MumbaiKarnataka
2010–11RajasthanBaroda
2011–12RajasthanTamil Nadu
2012–13MumbaiSaurashtra
2013–14KarnatakaMaharashtra
2014–15KarnatakaTamil Nadu
2015–16MumbaiSaurashtra
2016–17GujaratMumbai
2017–18VidarbhaDelhi
2018–19VidarbhaSaurashtra
2019–20SaurashtraBengal
2020–21Cancelled (COVID-19)—
2021–22Madhya PradeshMumbai
2022–23SaurashtraBengal
2023–24MumbaiVidarbha
2024–25VidarbhaKerala
2025–26Jammu and KashmirKarnataka

While this is the first title for Jammu and Kashmir, here’s which team has won how many titles in India’s premier domestic competition.

Table: Most titles by teams in Ranji Trophy

RankTeamTitlesLast TitleRunners-up
1Mumbai (formerly Bombay)422023–246
2Karnataka (formerly Mysore)82014–156
3Delhi72007–088
4Baroda52000–014
5Madhya Pradesh (formerly Holkar)52021–227
6Saurashtra (incl. Nawanagar/Western India)42022–234
7Vidarbha32024–251
8Bengal21989–9013
9Tamil Nadu (formerly Madras)21987–8810
10Rajasthan (formerly Rajputana)22011–128
11Hyderabad21986–873
12Maharashtra21940–413
13Railways22004–052
14Punjab11992–933
15Uttar Pradesh (formerly United Prov.)12005–065
16Haryana11990–911
17Gujarat12016–171
18Jammu and Kashmir12025-261