The BCCI has announced the schedule for the 2026-27 domestic cricket season, with the Ranji Trophy being played in two phases and the Duleep Trophy kicking things off in August.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India is mulling to restart the prestigious Duleep Trophy and the Irani Cup, while a full Ranji Trophy season is also on the cards for the upcoming domestic season.
Former India fast bowler R Vinay Kumar has been appointed as the head coach of the Karnataka senior men's cricket team for the 2026-27 domestic season, bringing his extensive experience as a player and captain to the role.
Ranji Trophy champions Mumbai will play against Rest of India in the Zal Irani Cup from October 22-26.
The BCCI on Saturday put on hold all its remaining domestic tournaments, including the blue riband Irani Cup match between Rest of India and Ranji Trophy champions Saurashtra, because of the coronavirus pandemic. The Board said prominent tournaments that stand postponed are the Irani Cup, Vizzy Trophy, Senior Women's One-Day Knockout and the Senior Women's One-Day Challenger, among others.
Returning from injury, Navdeep Saini's clinical spell saw the Madhya Pradesh top-order stumble in the Irani Cup in Gwalior.
India's captain said players faring well on the domestic circuit could be considered for selection.
The BCCI on Monday invited bids for the title sponsorship rights for its domestic and international home events, with the current agreement with IDFC FIRST Bank nearing the end of its tenure.
They may be leading different teams, but Rest of India skipper Cheteshwar Pujara and his Rajasthan counterpart Hrishikesh Kanitkar have similar strategy for the Irani Cup match: unleash their respective pace batteries on the opposition.
Opener Virender Sehwag will return to action in the Irani Cup, where he will lead Rest of India in the October 1 to 5 tournament in Nagpur. Sehwag, who missed the just-concluded tri-series in Sri Lanka due to a shoulder injury sustained during the Indian Premier League, will have S Badrinath as his deputy.
Domestic doyen Wasim Jaffer showed his mastery with a 53rd first-class hundred in Vidarbha's 289 for two against Rest of India on the opening day of the Irani Cup, which witnessed an out-of-sorts Ravichandran Ashwin trying his hand at bowling leg breaks, in Nagpur, on Wednesday.
The match between Ranji Trophy champions Mumbai and Rest of India gets underway in Chandigarh on Wednesday.
Zaheer Khan failed to find a place in newly-crowned Ranji Trophy champions Mumbai's squad for the five-day Irani Cup match against the Rest of India, beginning at the Wankhede stadium on February 6, as he has not yet recovered from the calf injury sustained at the start of this month.
Pace spearhead Varun Aaron wrecked Karnataka with a six-wicket haul to help Rest of India bowl out the Ranji Trophy champions for 244 on day one of the Irani Cup in Bangalore.
Handed the captaincy role after injury to Ajit Agarkar, Mumbai skipper Abhishek Nayar on Tuesday said that he would take help from senior players like Sachin Tendulkar in leading the Ranji champion side in the Irani Cup match against Rest of India.
The Parthiv Patel-led Rest of India starts as firm favourites against a disjointed Rajasthan when the two teams square up in the Irani Cup match, at the Sawai Mansingh stadium, in Jaipur, on Saturday.
Dropped from the Ranji Trophy squad, opener Jay Bista slammed his maiden first class ton to lead Ranji Trophy champions to a strong 386 for 3 on day one of the five-day Irani Cup game against Rest of India in Mumbai on Sunday. At stumps the 41-time national champions were sailing along merrily at 386 runs for the loss of three wickets by riding on the bespectacled opener's 104, Akhil Herwadkar's 90 and half centuries from in-form Shreyas Iyer (55) and Suryakumar Yadav (not out 88) after choosing to bat first at the Brabourne Stadium. Bista, who impressed with his strokes on both sides of the wicket in his chanceless knock that came off 90 balls with 15 fours and a six, and left-handed Herwadka put on a solid foundation with a partnership of 193. Both departed within a short span of each other, Bista trapped leg before by Krishna Das while flicking and Herwadkar edged to slip off Ankit Rajpoot after facing 148 balls and striking 15 boundaries. But Rest were then frustrated by the attacking Iyer, who cracked 10 fours in his 49-ball cameo, and Yadav as the third wicket duo put on a quick 69 before the former was caught cutting off Stuart Binny.
'If he had got the support, he would have finished in that legendary group of cricketers who have played 100 Tests for the country.' 'He never complained, but that might have gone against him because sometimes you have to be open and make your point clearly otherwise people take you for granted.'
Out-of-favour for One-Day Internationals, Virender Sehwag was named captain of Rest of India for the Airtel Irani Cup match against Ranji Trophy champions Mumbai, at the Wankhede stadium, from February 6 to 10. A significant development was that of out-of-form opener Gautam Gambhir not being named in any of the squads.
Rest of India won the Irani Cup for a sixth consecutive time on Wednesday, crushing a hapless Rajasthan by 404 runs with a superb bowling performance on the fifth and final day in Jaipur.
A vintage performance by Sachin Tendulkar helped Mumbai fight back against Rest of India (RoI) on day three of the Irani Cup at the Wankhede stadium on Friday.
Rest of India scored a comprehensive innings and 75 runs victory over Ranji Trophy champions Rajasthan to win the Irani Cup on the fourth day, at the Chinnaswamy stadium, in Bangalore, on Monday.
Murali Vijay struck a century to help Rest of India take control against Mumbai on Day 1 of the Irani Trophy on Wednesday.
Vidarbha pacer Yash Thakur, 27, has received his maiden India call-up for the upcoming T20 International tour of Zimbabwe, a dream he shared with his late father.
Vihari, who had scored a hundred in the last Irani Cup, once again held the innings together, scoring 114 off 211 balls with 11 fours and two sixes. It was in complete contrast to Agarwal's innings which was laced with 10 fours and three sixes.
Jaiswal, who struck a sublime 213 in the first innings, scored a magnificent 144 out of his team's second innings total of 246
Rest of India retained the Irani Cup for the eighth year in succession having got the better of Mumbai on the basis of first innings lead at the Wankhede stadium in Mumbai on Sunday.
Day Four of the Irani Cup tie between Mumbai and Rest of India at the Wankhede stadium, in Mumbai, was one that ensured ennui.
Diminutive wicketkeeper-batsman Parthiv Patel was named captain of Rest of India for the Irani Cup match against Ranji champions Rajasthan. Delhi batsman Shikhar Dhawan was named Patel's deputy, while Ajinkya Rahane, who did well on the recently-concluded England tour, also made it to the squad.
Vidarbha captain Faiz Fazal announced that the entire prize money will be donated to the families of the CRPF personnel martyred in the dastardly terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama on Thursday.
Gurnoor Brar has impressed with his pace and control in his debut ODI series against Afghanistan.
Ranji Trophy champions Mumbai decided against enforcing the follow-on after taking a huge lead of 297 runs over Rest of India on Day 3 of the five-day Irani Cup match at the Brabourne stadium, in Mumbai, on Tuesday.
The decision left everyone wondering if the on-field umpires faltered in calling off the game, but the Vidarbha player, said nothing like that had happened.
Rest of India clinched the Irani Cup for the fourth successive time when they defeated Mumbai on the basis of the first innings lead after the fifth and final day of the match in Nagpur was called off due to wet ground conditions on Monday. Although there was no rain since morning, overnight rain rendered the outfield unplayable. After five inspections, the on-field umpires decided to call off proceedings without a ball being bowled.
Markande (5 for 31) spun a web around the visitors to bowl them out for 180 in the second innings on the third day of the four-day match.
Contrasting centuries from Shikhar Dhawan and Ajinkya Rahane helped Rest of India reach a commanding 400 for three against Rajasthan at stumps on the opening day of the Irani Cup match.
The domestic season-ending five-day Irani Cup game between newly crowned Ranji Trophy champions Mumbai and the Rest of India, commencing in Mumbai from Sunday, will provide fringe players a good opportunity to stake claims for the national team. The first class match is the last occasion for hopefuls from both ranks to impress the five-member national selection panel headed by Sandeep Patil before attention shifts totally to the T20 format, commencing with the ICC World T20 Championships. With the country expected to play over 15 Test matches post Indian Premier League till the end of next season, this match is the ideal platform for these players to strengthen their claims for the long Test haul. Mumbai, who clinched the Ranji crown for the 41st time last week by defeating Saurashtra by an innings, have a settled combination led by wicket keeper batsman Aditya Tare. They appear to be better prepared than the motley bunch of Rest of India, being led by Madhya Pradesh stumper Naman Ojha. However, they would take the Rest of India lightly at their own peril as the latter have a good bowling attack at their command even without originally named Barinder Sran and Nathu Singh who have been injured and replaced by Ankit Rajpoot and Anureet Singh, according to their coach Ashish Kapoor.
'Only a fool would put his life savings into a restaurant at 59... but I did'
Shreyas Iyer has been named captain of the India A squad for the upcoming three-match one-day series against Australia A, starting September 30 in Kanpur.
After restricting Rest to a modest 330 on the opening day, Vidarbha ended the second day at 245 for 6 with Wadkar and Akshay Karnewar (15 not out) holding fort. The hosts still trail by 85 runs.
