When hope meets vision, glory is inevitable. Jammu and Kashmir might have reached the finals of the Ranji Trophy for the first time in 67 years, but this is just the inception of a special era in the valley.

The current Jammu and Kashmir team, led by the inspirational Paras Dogra, achieved a monumental feat by reaching the semi-finals for the first time in 56 years earlier this month after beating Madhya Pradesh in the quarters. While they celebrated the success, they kept their feet grounded and prepared for a tough semi-final against Bengal in Kalyani.

During the semi-final, Jammu and Kashmir showed why they are no longer giant-killers and have transformed into a team to beat, at least in red-ball cricket. They were in a huge crisis at 13/3 in their first innings after dismissing Bengal for 329. However, skipper Dogra and youngster Abdul Samad resurrected the ship with a counter-attacking 147-run partnership.

They had their backs against the wall once again after Mohammed Shami's fiery spell in the first session on Day 3, but pacers Auqib Nabi and Yudhvir Singh Charak forged a gutsy 64-run stand for the ninth wicket. Jammu and Kashmir were eventually dismissed for 302, handing Bengal a 26-run lead. 

What followed was a spectacular spell of fast bowling from Nabi, Charak, and Sunil Kumar, as they wrapped up the strong batting lineup of Bengal for a paltry 99.

Jammu and Kashmir lost two early wickets in their chase of 126, however, Vanshaj Sharma, Abdul Samad, and Shubham Pundir played crucial knocks to take the team to a first-ever final.

Cricket in the 'Paradise on Earth' had been going through a prolonged crisis period involving mismanagement and corruption. However, strategic leadership and focus on discovering and backing talented cricketers orchestrated the renaissance.

Back in 2021, current BCCI president Mithun Manhas became one of the administrators of the Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA). The board was going through a period of turmoil, with mismanagement at its peak and allegations of corruption. Manhas, with his colleagues, brought in transparency and vision.

"It wasn't very easy at that time when I took over as the administrator. The then BCCI secretary Jay Shah gave me a free hand and told me that do whatever is needed to get Jammu and Kashmir cricket back on track," Manhas said after the historic win against Bengal.

One of the major reasons why Jammu and Kashmir have thrived in recent years against top teams like Mumbai and Bengal is their strategy to acclimatise in advance to the conditions they have to play in.

"Both the Harbux Stadium in Srinagar and the College ground in Jammu have 10 centre strips each with both red and black soil pitches. We are the only north Indian state with both black and red soil strips," Manhas said.

"When we played against Mumbai last year and beat them, the team had travelled and practised in Mumbai at least a week before the game," Manhas recalled.

Credit must be given to Manhas' former Delhi teammate, Ajay Sharma, who has done a tremendous job as the head coach. He has instilled belief in the team and backed them to the hilt. Paras Dogra, throwing himself on the field to save runs at the age of 41, must be a massive source of motivation for the youngsters in the Jammu and Kashmir setup.

It's a great time to highlight the efforts of Parvez Rasool, the first-ever superstar from the valley. The spin-bowling all-rounder was the first player from Jammu and Kashmir to earn and IPL contract and an India call-up. Kids in the region started dreaming about taking cricket as a profession after watching Rasool's hard work translating into fame, recognition, and success. "He gave J&K cricket a facelift. He was the pulse of the region," Irfan Pathan had stated while praising Rasool.

When celebrating Jammu and Kashmir's success, it is also important to remember Irfan Pathan's contribution as a player-cum-mentor for the team in 2018. The former India all-rounder did not just guide the youngsters and help them hone their skills, but also emphasised discipline and elevated the team's competitive level. Pathan even went to rural areas and injected professionalism. The Baroda-born had lucrative offers at the time from the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) and Abu Dhabi T10 League among others, but he chose Jammu and Kashmir, prioritising the opportunity to develop young talents in the region.

"I've seen it first-hand - a left-arm pacer from Kupwara, boys from Baramulla.. they have the fire. What's missing is exposure and proper training," Pathan, whose time in Jammu and Kashmir colours ended abruptly due to security reasons, had said about a year ago at an event. He will be beaming now with pride as he could play an instrumental role in Jammu and Kashmir's glory.

While coach Ajay Sharma has always prioritised team game over individuals, the performances of Auqib Nabi and Abdul Samad deserve special mention.

Nabi has been exceptional with the ball this season. The right-arm pacer has picked up 53 wickets in nine games at a mind-boggling average of 12.72. Meanwhile, Abdul Samad has amassed 655 runs in 13 innings at an average of 59.54. 

Both played key roles in the semi-final in Kalyani. Nabi won the Player of the Match award after bagging nine wickets and scoring 42. While maiden international call-ups could be on the horizon for both, they will have their sights set on the Ranji Trophy final, starting on February 24.

The whole of Jammu and Kashmir will savour February 18 for now and celebrate long into the night, as this is not just any final they have made it to. In the first five decades that Jammu and Kashmir played the Ranji Trophy, they managed just 32 wins in 301 matches. They are now only one win away from sitting at the pinnacle of domestic cricket in India.