Veteran Dogra relishes the role of a talent scout

Unlike other cricketers, 41-year-old Paras Dogra has switched from red ball to white ball cricket differently this season.

While his Jammu & Kashmir teammates have tweaked their on-field skills for the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT), Dogra has worked beyond the field of play during the Ranji Trophy interval.

Sitting inside a tent at the Jadavpur University ground during the SMAT matches here, Dogra, who captained Jammu and Kashmir in the first half of the Ranji Trophy last month, has been a talent-spotting scout for IPL side Punjab Kings (PBKS).

“If I feel someone is good, then I inform the team. Then, it’s the management’s decision. I’ve been scouting talent for the last four years.

“I did it even when I played in the SMAT,” Dogra, who last played in the SMAT in 2024, told the The Hindu. “For the matches in which I played, it was easy. For other engagements, I used to either stay back after our match or come to the ground earlier than our team.” Someone who has been playing First Class cricket for two decades and has sported colours of PBKS, Kolkata Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals in the IPL, Dogra feels T20 has enriched the game.

“The skill level has improved. The game has become faster and more exciting. You can see its impact in red ball cricket. Rishabh Pant and Travis Head are the prime examples of this. There is more entertainment and money,” said Dogra, who has scored 10,345 runs, including 34 centuries, at an average of 48.56 in First Class cricket.

Even though he is not sure whether he will get a chance to play in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, Dogra enjoys his current T20 role.

“I’m just contributing to the game. Maybe God has some plans for me in the future,” he said.