Paras Dogra headbutt sparks chaos; apology rejected as KL Rahul unleashes verbal attack in Ranji Trophy final

Paras Dogra lost his cool and headbutted a Karnataka fielder amid sledging; Mayank Agarwal and KL Rahul then stepped in even as the umpire issued stern warning.

Updated on: Feb 25, 2026, 13:06:13 IST

Written by Aditya Bhattacharya

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The Ranji Trophy final between Jammu & Kashmir and Karnataka took an ugly turn when J&K captain Paras Dogra lost his cool and headbutted the opposition fielder early on Day 2 at the Hubli Cricket Ground on Wednesday. The incident occurred in the 101st over of J&K's innings, when Dogra and Kanhaiya Wadhawan were in the middle of a promising partnership, keeping J&K’s progress steady. After Dogra edged a delivery from Prasidh Krishna for four, a few words were exchanged between the J&K captain and substitute fielder KV Aneesh at forward short leg. Dogra straightaway charged at Aneesh, headbutted him with his helmet, before Mayank Agarwal intervened. It is believed that Aneesh’s constant sledging triggered Dogra.

A riled-up Paras Dogra headbutts KV Aneesh of Karnataka. (Screengrab-X)

Also Read: J&K vs Kartaka, Live Score, Day 2, Ranji Trophy final

Things escalated, and the umpires had to intervene. Immediately after the over, Dogra apologised, but Aneesh was having none of it and outrightly rejected it. Agarwal and KL Rahul, who were fielding nearby, then unleashed a barrage of verbal volleys at Dogra, chirping away at him incessantly. Earlier, on Day 1, a rising bouncer from Vyshak Vijaykumar struck Dogra on the glove, forcing him to retire hurt on 9 off 48 balls on the opening day.

Watch the incident below:

Another heated run-in

This wasn’t all. Another incident took place soon after, this time between pacer Vijaykumar Vyshak and Wadhawan. As the batter took off for a single, his left elbow brushed past the pacer en route to a single. The two players came face to face before Vyshak was pushed away by the umpire and one of his teammates. Dogra, meanwhile, at the other end, passed on a wry smile.

“This is one Wadhawan because Vyshak did not move from his position. No, the rule is that Vyshak, in his follow-through, will remain in his position and that the batter needs to change his route,” said the commentator.

J&K continue to bat themselves to a position of authority, reaching 350 with six wickets left. Earlier on Day 1, Shubham Pundir set the tempo with an exceptional innings of 121. Half-centuries from Yawer Hassan (88) and Abdul Samad (61) propelled J&K further in their maiden Ranji Trophy final.

Dogra scales Mount 10K

Not too long ago, Dogra, 41, became only the second player in the history of the Ranji Trophy to complete 10000 runs. He achieved this milestone in the semi-final against Bengal, to give Wasim Jaffer some elite company. Dogra is a domestic veteran and a behemoth, now playing his 27th Ranji Trophy season. After spending 17 years with Himachal Pradesh, Dogra made a switch to Puducherry ahead of the 2018-19 season before switching base to J&K last year, and as captain, has led from the front, scoring 551 runs from nine matches.

“This year, I think Paras Dogra’s inclusion made a big difference. His experience and leadership helped the team immensely. A side always needs a strong, experienced leader, and Paras Bhai handled the team very well. His presence brought stability and belief in crucial moments. Looking ahead, this is a very positive sign for J&K cricket. The younger players are now learning what it takes to compete at this level,” former J&K captain Parvez Rasool tells The Hindustan Times Digital.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Aditya Bhattacharya
Aditya Bhattacharya is the Sports Editor at Hindustan Times Digital, with close to 15 years of experience in sports journalism. Over the course of his career, he has worked with leading media organisations including Cricbuzz, The Times of India, Network18 and Zee. Primarily a cricket writer, Aditya has covered several marquee events, including the 2016 ICC World T20, the 2019 ICC World Cup in England and the 2023 World Cup in India. His reporting portfolio also includes international cricket across England, South Africa and New Zealand, along with forays into tennis, including coverage of the Australian Open. He has interviewed several prominent athletes across sports. Aditya began his career with a brief stint at CricketNext before getting his first major break at Cricbuzz, where he was part of the Times Network’s startup venture GoCricket, which later merged with Cricbuzz. After nearly 18 months there, he moved to The Times of India, covering his first World Cup assignment and reporting first-hand on landmark moments such as Virat Kohli’s iconic innings against Australia in Mohali. During his three-year tenure, he played a key role in both reporting and desk operations and was recognised as TOI Employee of the Quarter in 2016. He later joined Zee, where he covered the 2019 World Cup across five venues in England—an assignment he considers a career highlight. At Hindustan Times, Aditya’s leadership came to the fore as he was promoted to lead the sports team within 18 months. Under his stewardship, the section has delivered extensive coverage of global sporting events, including the IPL, Olympics, Cricket World Cups, FIFA World Cups, Commonwealth Games and Asian Games. In 2024, he was named HT DigiStar of the Year. Aditya continues to adapt to the evolving digital publishing landscape, with a sharp focus on search and audience engagement. Outside work, he occasionally plays the guitar and remains an avid gamer.Read More

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