A record 37 teams, including seven debutants from the northeast, participating in the Ranji Trophy beginning on Thursday pose a massive logistical challenge for a cricket board going through administrative chaos.
Saini was summoned to bowl at the India nets during Sri Lanka series in December 2017 as the net bowler but it was Gambhir who told him to concentrate on Ranji Trophy final.
Railways caused the biggest upset in this Ranji Trophy season so far, after they defeated domestic giants Mumbai by 10 wickets within three days in their Elite Group B match, in Mumbai, on Friday. Railways pacer Himanshu Sangwan (5-60) took five wickets, as Mumbai were bundled out for 198 in their second essay at the Wankhede Stadium, after India Test vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane failed miserably in the second innings as well.
Bright dreams of a new journey, desperation to stage a comeback and desire to rediscover old glory will be the dominant themes of this season's Ranji Trophy that begins at various centres across the country from Friday.
Shikhar Dhawan was all guts and grit while negotiating tough conditions in his comeback game as he boosted Delhi's morale with a well-controlled 137 against Hyderabad in their Ranji Trophy Group A match in New Delhi. A round up of Day 1 of the Ranji Trophy matches played on Wednesday.
KKR Mentor Gautam Gambhir was all ears as Virat Kohli did all the talking.
'He never had a negative thought in his mind, he was supremely confident.' 'He always stuck to his natural game, he never moved away from that.'
We have given Ishant an additional responsibility and he is enjoying it, says Delhi head coach ahead of new season
'No room for disappointment' for Mumbai's Kotian and Deshpande after record tons
All eyes will be on the opening fixture between defending champions Saurashtra and record 41-time champions Mumbai in Ahmedabad with Rahane and Pujara on either side, aiming to make the big scores that have deserted them at the Test level for a while.
Hosts Karnataka amassed three points on the basis of their crucial first-innings lead as their Elite Ranji Trophy Group A game against Mumbai ended in a tame draw in Belagavi.
A round-up of final day of the Ranji Trophy matches played on Thursday.
A round-up of Ranji matches played on Monday.
Manan Sharma returned a five-wicket haul as Delhi pulled off a dramatic 90-run win over Punjab following two stunning batting collapses on the third day of their Ranji Trophy Group B match in Patiala.
Tamil Nadu registered their first win of the season, beating Kerala by 151 runs Sunday in a Ranji Trophy Elite Group 'B' match at the M A Chidambaram stadium in Chennai.
Karnataka pacer Abhimanyu Mithun picked a five-wicket haul in their Group B match against UP. While Delhi's Ricky Bhui put his team in a good position against Andhra. A round-up of Day 2 of the Ranji Trophy matches played on Wednesday.
A summary of the third day's play in the Ranji Trophy matches played at various venues across the country.
Ajinkya Rahane and Prithvi Shaw faltered yet again as Karnataka pacers wreaked a havoc and bundled out Mumbai for a paltry 194 on the opening day of their Elite Ranji Trophy match in Mumbai. Services bowled out Maharashtra for 44 with medium pacer P S Poonia picking up 5/11 in their Ranji Trophy match in New Delhi
Ace off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin starred with a five-wicket haul to help Tamil Nadu bundle out Himachal Pradesh for 158 on the opening day of the Ranji Trophy Group B match. A round-up of Day 1 of the Ranji Trophy matches played on Tuesday.
Former India pace bowler David Johnson, who played two Tests in 1996, passed away in Bengaluru on Thursday.
A round-up of Day 1 of the Ranji Trophy quarter-final matches played on Thursday.
Shreyas Iyer slammed 178, while captain Siddhesh Lad made a responsible 130, to power Mumbai to an imposing score of 439 for eight against Baroda, on Day 1 of the Ranji Trophy match.
The India Test spinner had one wicket to show in 21 overs during Day 1 of the Ranji Trophy Group B match against Madhya Pradesh.
Rajneesh Gupta gives us a list of noteworthy statistics from first-class and Ranji Trophy
Kerala blew away home favourites Bengal by nine wickets and with a day to spare for their second successive win in the Ranji Trophy, consolidating the position atop the Elite Group B standings.
Jammu and Kashmir made it to the quarter-finals of the Ranji Trophy despite suffering a two-wicket defeat at the hands of Haryana in their final Group C match in Jammu on Saturday. In the quarter-finals to be played from February 20 to 24, Saurashtra will be up against Andhra, Karnataka will face Jammu and Kashmir, Bengal will take on Odisha and Gujarat will square off against Goa.
Gautam Gambhir lived a charmed life but the famous grit was displayed in abundance on way to an unbeaten 92, his final knock in competitive cricket guiding Delhi to 190 for one.
A round-up of Ranji matches played on Wednesday
Uganda produced wonders in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup Africa Region Qualifier last November
A round-up of all the Ranji Trophy matches played on Monday.
Holders Vidarbha thrashed Mumbai by an innings and 145 runs to knock out the 41-time Ranji Trophy champions.
A summary of Mumbai's 40 crowns in India's premier domestic competition.
Round up of the Ranji Trophy matches being played in the country
Ahead of his side's Indian Premier League match against Mumbai Indians, Kolkata Knight Riders assistant coach Abhishek Nayar hailed skipper Shreyas Iyer for his mental strength and positive approach to life.
Vidarbha piled up a mammoth 511 in their first essay and then reduced Mumbai to 169 for six on the second day of their Elite Group A Ranji Trophy Game in Nagpur on Monday.
In Delhi Capitals head coach Ricky Ponting's Indian team for the upcoming T20 World Cup, Rishabh Pant will feature 'every day of the week'.
A round-up of Day 2 of the Ranji Trophy matches played on Saturday
Mumbai opener Prithvi Shaw, who had played his first game in first class cricket after serving a eight-month ban for doping, smashed a quick 66 off 62 balls against Baroda. A round-up of Day 1 of the Ranji Trophy matches played on Monday.
Former India pacer Venkatesh Prasad has come down heavily on the Board of Control for Cricket in India and its selectors, saying ignoring Sarfaraz Khan for the upcoming Test series against Australia is "unfair" and "an abuse of domestic cricket".
The Group B match between Delhi and Punjab, beginning in New Delhi on Wednesday, will see Yuvraj Singh playing his first match of the 2018-19 Ranji Trophy.
