Jammu, Aug 3: In what is being hailed as one of the biggest milestones in Jammu and Kashmir cricket, six cricketers from the Union Territory have been selected for the North Zone squad, with wicketkeeper-batter Kanhaiya Wadhawan being named captain.
The development marks a watershed moment for J&K cricket, which until a few seasons ago celebrated the selection of just one or two players in the prestigious inter-zonal team. This time, however, J&K has emerged as the joint-highest contributor alongside Delhi, underlining the Union Territory's rapid rise in domestic cricket.
According to highly placed sources, the six J&K players selected are Kanhaiya Wadhawan (captain), Qamran Iqbal, Abdul Samad, Abid Mushtaq, Sunil Kumar and Yudhvir Singh.
The 15-member squad also includes Sanat Sangwan, Yash Dhull, Ayush Doseja and vice-captain Ayush Badoni from Delhi; Nishant Sindhu, Anshul Kamboj and Nikhil Kashyap from Haryana; Arshdeep Singh from Punjab; and Arjun Sharma from Services.
Wadhawan's appointment as captain makes the achievement even more significant, reflecting the confidence of the North Zone selectors in the J&K wicketkeeper-batter's leadership abilities and consistent performances.
J&K's unprecedented representation is widely seen as a testament to the Union Territory's growing stature in Indian domestic cricket after a string of impressive performances over the past few seasons. The Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA) has evolved from being an occasional contributor to one of the strongest talent pools in the North Zone.
With six players in the squad and the captaincy entrusted to a J&K cricketer, the announcement marks one of the most significant moments in the history of J&K cricket.
Adding to the achievement, J&K senior team coach Ajay Sharma has also been appointed head coach of the North Zone team.
