As the Sher-i-Kashmir Stadium gets ready to host the 2026 Irani Cup from October 1–5, which will pit the recently crowned Ranji Trophy winners Jammu and Kashmir against the rest of India, Srinagar is getting ready for a historic athletic event. For the first time since India hosted Australia in a One Day International in September 1986, prominent domestic cricket will return to the Kashmir Valley with this big match, which will be the most important event to take place there in forty years.
The current Ranji Trophy winners are usually pitted against a chosen team from the rest of India in the major match. Jammu and Kashmir gained the opportunity to host and compete in this year’s edition following a spectacular effort in the 2025–26 Ranji Trophy, where they clinched the title against Karnataka at the KSCA Hubli Cricket Ground by virtue of a significant first-innings lead.
J&K vs ROI
Auqib Nabi Dar, a pace sensation born in Baramulla, is anticipated to spearhead Jammu & Kashmir’s attack once more in the forthcoming Irani Cup. With 60 wickets taken during the Ranji Trophy season in 2025–2026, the 29-year-old fast bowler was the team’s highest wicket-taker. He finished the season with a decisive 5/54 performance against Karnataka. Dar, who just received his first call-up to the national Test team for the Sri Lanka series, will share pace responsibilities with Rajasthan Royals star Yudhvir Singh Charak, providing J&K with a potent fast-bowling combo.
The BCCI has not yet officially confirmed the lineup for the Rest of India, despite the excitement surrounding the match. The Rest of India team has a record 30 Irani Cup victories, which is twice as many as Mumbai, the second-most successful team; therefore, whichever lineup is chosen will bring a rich legacy to the match.
After the Irani Cup, J&K will immediately focus on defending the Ranji Trophy in 2026–2027, beginning on October 11 against Madhya Pradesh. The defending champions will have a difficult journey ahead of them in Elite Group A, which also comprises MP, Vidarbha, Baroda, Puducherry, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Goa.