Defending champions Jammu and Kashmir made an impressive start to their Ranji Trophy Elite Group A campaign, dismissing Madhya Pradesh for 196 on the opening day. Medium pacer Rohit Sharma led the attack with a five-wicket haul, while Sunil Kumar added four wickets. J&K were 3/1 at stumps, trailing by 193 runs.
The Ranji Trophy 2026-27 season is set to begin on Sunday, featuring several prominent India cricketers like KL Rahul, Washington Sundar, Ravindra Jadeja, and Yashasvi Jaiswal. Their participation aims to provide valuable red-ball practice and fine-tune skills, while also offering a platform for players like Mohammed Shami to impress selectors. The tournament will also highlight emerging young talents from various states.
On the third day of the Ranji Trophy Elite Group C matches, Delhi trailed Bengal by 88 runs, with Bengal having posted 429. Kerala faced a significant deficit against Jharkhand, while Gujarat took a first-innings lead against Odisha, who now hold a slender four-run lead in their second innings. Maharashtra led Services by 172 runs despite a shaky start to their second innings.
Mohammed Shami's impressive 4/30 led Bengal's strong start against Delhi in the Ranji Trophy. Other matches saw centuries from Shikhar Mohan (Jharkhand), Ankit Bawne (Maharashtra), and Gaurav Choudhary (Odisha) on the opening day of Group C fixtures.
Fifteen wickets fell as Bengal gained a narrow edge over Services in the Ranji Trophy, while Delhi piled up 648/6 against Gujarat with Ayush Badoni scoring 217.
India pacer Mohammed Siraj will lead Hyderabad in their first two Ranji Trophy matches of the upcoming season.
Siddhesh Lad has been appointed as the new captain of the Mumbai Ranji Trophy team, replacing Shardul Thakur, who was relieved to manage his workload. Lad, a seasoned batter, returns to lead the domestic giants after a stellar previous season.
"Gen Z" cricketers and their parents in Uttar Pradesh have protested at Ekana Stadium, demanding the formation of three Ranji Trophy teams to ensure equitable opportunities across the state. They cite the state's large population and alleged sidelining of players from certain regions in current leagues.
Mizoram's Chinmay Sutar achieved a rare feat by scoring an unbeaten 400 runs in a first-class Ranji Trophy match against Nagaland, becoming only the second Indian batter to reach this milestone after Bhausahab Babasaheb Nimbalkar in 1948.
B B Nimbalkar is the only one in the 400-plus club never to have played Test cricket. Will Chinmay Sutar have better luck?
Punjab captain Uday Saharan scored an unbeaten 106 to guide his team to 269 for four against Chhattisgarh on Day 1 of their Ranji Trophy match. This came after India skipper Shubman Gill was dismissed for just one run. In another match, Manvanth Kumar's 86 not out helped Karnataka recover against Saurashtra.
Chinmay Sutar, representing Mizoram, achieved a historic 400 not out in a Ranji Trophy Plate Group match against Nagaland, becoming only the second Indian batter to score a quadruple century. This monumental innings came after years of struggle and near misses, fulfilling his dream of playing red-ball cricket.
Mohammed Shami remains determined to reclaim his India place after another snub, prioritising a full domestic season, consistent performances and skill development ahead of the 2027 ODI World Cup.
Former India opener Wasim Jaffer has expressed surprise and concern over Yashasvi Jaiswal's decision to take up wicket-keeping at 24, advising the Test opener to instead focus on his primary skill of batting, especially with India's New Zealand tour approaching.
India opener Yashasvi Jaiswal is reportedly adding wicketkeeping to his cricketing repertoire, alongside his batting and leg-spin. Mumbai captain Siddhesh Lad confirmed Jaiswal's practice sessions, noting his intention to enhance his game. Jaiswal will be available for Mumbai's Ranji Trophy opener but will miss subsequent matches due to national commitments.
India Test captain Shubman Gill is taking an unprecedented step to prepare for the upcoming red-ball series in New Zealand by personally funding four to five net bowlers to accompany him on the tour. This move highlights his dedication to Test cricket, especially as he balances ODI commitments and skips India A matches, opting instead for a Ranji Trophy fixture before his early departure to acclimatise.
Sarfaraz Khan's magnificent unbeaten 139 helped Mumbai establish a commanding 258-run lead over Himachal Pradesh in their Ranji Trophy Group D match, while Nishant Sindhu's all-round heroics secured an innings victory for Haryana against Chandigarh.
Bengal wicketkeeper-batter Abishek Porel scored an unbeaten century in a Ranji Trophy match against Delhi, breaking down in tears afterwards and stating, 'I want to answer everyone through cricket' in response to an alleged rape case.
Fast bowler Tushar Deshpande's impressive five-wicket haul led Mumbai to bowl out Chandigarh for a mere 78 runs in their first innings, forcing a follow-on on the second day of their Ranji Trophy Group D match.
Mumbai secured a dominant innings and 155-run victory over Chandigarh in their Ranji Trophy Elite Group D opener, earning a bonus point. Strong performances from bowlers Shams Mulani and Tanush Kotian, coupled with a substantial first-innings total of 429, led to Chandigarh being dismissed twice for low scores.
Teenager Seeram Rahul's unbeaten century and Revanth Reddy's 97 helped Andhra secure a crucial 57-run first-innings lead over last season's runner-up Karnataka in their Ranji Trophy Group B match.
The current Managing Committee of the Goa Cricket Association (GCA) has rejected allegations of a Rs 50 crore accounting mismatch flagged by an audit report, asserting that the discrepancies occurred during the tenure of the previous committee.
Rishabh Pant, recently excluded from India's white-ball squad, has been appointed captain of the Rest of India team for the upcoming Irani Cup match against Ranji Trophy champions Jammu and Kashmir.
Rest of India defeated reigning Ranji Trophy champions Jammu and Kashmir by 167 runs to clinch the Irani Cup, with pacers Mukesh Kumar and Akash Deep sharing nine wickets in a sensational bowling performance.
Anshul Kamboj replaced injured Prasidh Krishna for India's third ODI against West Indies after Prasidh suffered a left hamstring injury during the second match at Guwahati
Sunil Gavaskar launched 'Rag Rag Mein Cricket', chronicling Sanjay Jagdale's journey from cricketer to coach, selector and administrator, while praising his lifelong, invaluable contribution to Indian cricket.
Nikhil Chaudhary, who once dreamt of an IPL contract and playing for Punjab, made his international debut for Australia in a T20I against Bangladesh in June, a turn of events he describes as his "life's biggest moment" after being stranded in Australia during the 2020 Covid-19 lockdown.
The article explores Mohammed Shami's potential return to the Indian cricket team, drawing parallels with Bhuvneshwar Kumar's recent comeback. It details Bhuvneshwar's impressive IPL performances and mentoring role, contrasting them with Shami's strong domestic cricket form since late 2024, and highlights the Bengal pacer's continued motivation for national selection.
India all-rounder Naman Dhir made an impressive T20I debut, contributing significantly with his off-spin bowling to help India secure a win against West Indies. Despite his bowling success, Dhir, whose primary strength is batting, is eager for an opportunity to showcase his skills with the bat. He credited the IPL for preparing him for international cricket and expressed his joy at fulfilling his dream of representing India.
Former India batter Wasim Jaffer believes Virat Kohli's sudden Test retirement in May 2025 stemmed from bitterness over how the situation was handled, suggesting the star player could have continued in the format.
ICC Anti-Corruption Unit chief Andrew Ephgrave has labelled legends leagues, featuring retired players, as a "real grey area" due to their unsanctioned nature and potential "reputational risk" to cricket. He highlighted concerns about corruption allegations, citing a Sri Lankan league incident, and stressed the importance of distinguishing these from official cricket structures. Ephgrave also noted an increase in players reporting corrupt approaches, attributing it to improved ACU engagement.
All-rounder Suryansh Shedge has been named as a replacement for the injured Hardik Pandya in the India A squad for the upcoming three-match one-day series against Australia A in Puducherry, with Pandya ruled out due to a fresh injury concern preventing him from bowling pain-free.
The Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) is planning a web series or documentary to capture a full season of the Mumbai senior cricket team, aiming to inspire youth and offer fans a behind-the-scenes look at the 42-time Ranji Trophy champions.
Rest of India were bowled out for 237 by a spirited Jammu and Kashmir attack on Day 1 of the Irani Cup. Skipper Rishabh Pant and Sarfaraz Khan failed to convert starts, while Shikhar Mohan and Ravichandran Smaran scored half-centuries. J&K ended the day at 21 for 2, losing two early wickets.
Former Indian cricketers Shikhar Dhawan and Aakash Chopra discussed cricket selection, dismissing claims of regional discrimination and emphasising performance and hard work. They highlighted the launch of the Pro Star Cricket League (PSCL) Season 2 as a platform for emerging talent, particularly from regions like Jammu and Kashmir, and acknowledged the role of luck in a competitive environment.
Young Uttar Pradesh spinner Kartik Yadav, who impressed on his Ranji Trophy debut, aims to become an all-format cricketer by drawing inspiration from the adaptability of Ravindra Jadeja and the composure of Hardik Pandya.
North Zone coaches Ajay Sharma and Sarandeep Singh are under scrutiny for controversially dropping Sanat Sangwan, the Ranji Trophy's third-highest run-scorer, for the Duleep Trophy quarter-final against West Zone, opting instead for Yash Dhull, who had a significantly poorer Ranji season.
Top-order batter Devdutt Padikkal discusses his new role as India A captain, viewing it as a valuable learning experience that will positively influence his batting ahead of the upcoming New Zealand tour. He also reflects on his recent good form and the challenges of adapting to different playing conditions.
The BCCI is arranging short-term county cricket contracts for talented Indian pacers like Auqib Nabi to prepare them for future international tours, specifically eyeing India's Test series in New Zealand. This initiative aims to provide red-ball experience and exposure to different conditions.
Auqib Nabi's Surrey stint will provide crucial first-class exposure in England as the J&K pacer seeks to strengthen his case for India's Test squad for New Zealand.
