Bowling woes persist, Baroda defeat J&K by 76 runs

Srinagar, Jan 6: Jammu and Kashmir’s bowling concerns deepened in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy as Baroda piled on a commanding 332 before sealing a comprehensive 76-run victory in Rajkot on Tuesday, exposing familiar cracks in both pace and spin departments.

Despite Auqib Nabi returning figures of 4/52, the numbers masked a troubling story for J&K. Three of Nabi’s wickets came in the final three overs of the innings and involved Baroda’s tail, by which time the damage had already been done.

Cricket experts while reacting to today’s match performance between J&K and Baroda said that as the leader of the pace attack, Nabi’s role extended beyond wickets to setting the tone, controlling run flow, creating chances and disrupting partnerships. “On Tuesday, those elements were largely missing, reflecting a pattern that has persisted through the tournament rather than an isolated off day,” said Shabir Ahmad, a cricket enthusiast.

For most of the innings, Baroda’s batters dictated terms, cruising through the middle overs and neutralising J&K’s attack with ease.

Vishnu Solanki (132 off 108 balls) and Priyanshu Moliya (114 off 113) shared a mammoth 215-run partnership that completely flattened J&K’s bowling plans. The pair milked the spinners, punished loose deliveries from the pacers and ensured Baroda maintained a healthy scoring rate without undue risk.

Support from the rest of the bowling unit was limited. Yudhvir Singh (3/56) and Sunil Kumar (1/67) struggled for control, while Abid Mushtaq, Vanshaj Sharma and Sahil Lotra failed to apply pressure in short spells. Former players following the tournament pointed out the lack of penetration and an inability to break partnerships, an issue that has haunted J&K throughout the competition.

Chasing 333, J&K once again fell short with the bat. Early setbacks put the side on the back foot, and while there were brief partnerships, none were substantial enough to tilt the momentum. The innings never truly threatened Baroda’s total.

The standout positive for J&K, however, was Dikshant Kundal, call amid criticism over the timing of his inclusion. The top-order batter responded with a composed 66 off 65 balls, anchoring the innings when wickets kept falling at the other end. His knock stood out for its clarity of intent and shot selection, offering a rare bright spot in an otherwise disappointing chase.

Kawalpreet Singh (65) and Sahil Lotra (42) provided some resistance, but the required rate continued to climb, eventually proving too steep.

With both batting and bowling units failing to fire in unison, J&K’s campaign continues to drift, raising serious questions for the team management. While Kundal’s performance strengthens his case for a longer run in the playing XI, the larger issues, especially the inability of the bowling attack to contain top-order batters, remain unresolved.

Meanwhile, cricket experts believe that with J&K already grappling majorly with an underperforming bowling unit and also in batting, the onus remains on senior bowlers and batters to deliver in upcoming matches to regain the winning momentum.