The 2026-27 Ranji Trophy season begins on Sunday, October 11, with 38 teams set to compete in the first-class cricket tournament. The opening round features 19 matches across the country, although Arunachal Pradesh’s participation remains uncertain because of an ongoing dispute within its state cricket association.
The 92nd edition will feature 138 matches across two phases, with the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and Vijay Hazare Trophy scheduled between them. The Elite competition will run from October to November before resuming in January, while the knockout stage will take place in February and March 2027.
Key India Players in Action in Round 1 of Ranji Trophy
Several established India players will represent their state teams in the opening round. KL Rahul will turn out for Karnataka, Mohammed Siraj for Hyderabad, and Mohammed Shami, Akash Deep and Mukesh Kumar for Bengal. Mumbai will have Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sarfaraz Khan.
Ravindra Jadeja is also set to feature for Saurashtra against Chhattisgarh. His return adds further experience to the opening round, while the tournament offers established internationals and emerging players an opportunity to build their form in red-ball cricket.
Jammu & Kashmir Begin Title Defence, Delhi Face Bengal
Defending champions Jammu & Kashmir will begin their campaign against Madhya Pradesh in Srinagar. After losing the Irani Cup, they will look to regain momentum. Madhya Pradesh, meanwhile, will aim to start their campaign with a strong performance against the reigning champions.
Delhi will face Bengal in Kalyani in a Group C clash. Delhi have appointed former India wicketkeeper Vijay Dahiya as head coach, with Rajkumar Sharma joining as team mentor. Bengal will rely on their experienced pace attack, which includes Shami, Akash Deep and Mukesh Kumar.
Ranji Trophy 2026-27 Format and Groups
The tournament features 32 teams in four Elite Groups of eight, alongside six teams in the Plate Group. Teams will compete in the league phase before the knockout rounds. The competition will pause for the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and Vijay Hazare Trophy before resuming in January 2027.
Ranji Trophy 2026-27 Groups
Group A: Baroda, Bihar, Goa, Jammu & Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh, Pondicherry, Uttar Pradesh and Vidarbha.
Group B: Andhra, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Hyderabad, Karnataka, Punjab, Saurashtra and Tripura.
Group C: Bengal, Delhi, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Kerala, Maharashtra, Odisha and Services.
Group D: Chandigarh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Mumbai, Railways, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and Uttarakhand.
Plate Group: Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Sikkim.
Ranji Trophy 2026-27 Round 1 Fixtures
The opening-round matches of Ranji Trophy will take place from October 11 to 14. The schedule includes 16 Elite Group fixtures and three Plate Group matches.
No. | Match | Venue |
|---|---|---|
1 | Andhra vs Karnataka | Mulapadu |
2 | Bengal vs Delhi | Kalyani |
3 | Bihar vs Uttar Pradesh | Rajgir |
4 | Goa vs Baroda | Panaji |
5 | Gujarat vs Odisha | Ahmedabad |
6 | Haryana vs Himachal Pradesh | Rohtak |
7 | Hyderabad vs Tripura | Hyderabad |
8 | Jammu & Kashmir vs Madhya Pradesh | Srinagar |
9 | Jharkhand vs Kerala | Jamshedpur |
10 | Mumbai vs Chandigarh | Mumbai |
11 | Punjab vs Assam | Mullanpur |
12 | Railways vs Uttarakhand | CCI, Mumbai |
13 | Rajasthan vs Tamil Nadu | Jaipur |
14 | Saurashtra vs Chhattisgarh | Rajkot |
15 | Services vs Maharashtra | New Delhi |
16 | Vidarbha vs Pondicherry | Nagpur |
17 | Arunachal Pradesh vs Nagaland (Plate) | Ahmedabad |
18 | Mizoram vs Manipur (Plate) | Nadiad |
19 | Sikkim vs Meghalaya (Plate) | Rangpo |
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