Ranji Trophy

The Ranji Trophy is a premier domestic first-class cricket championship played in India and organized annually by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). The teams representing regional and state cricket associations participate. BCCI founded the championship in 1934,[2] Since then it has been organised across various grounds and stadiums in India.[3][4][5]

Ranji Trophy
AdministratorBCCI
HeadquartersMumbai
FormatFirst-class cricket
First edition1934–35
Latest edition2023–24
Tournament formatRound-robin, then knockout
Number of teams38
Current championMumbai (42nd title)
Most successfulMumbai (42 titles)
QualificationIrani Cup
Most runsWasim Jaffer (12,038)
1996–2020
Most wicketsRajinder Goel (640)
1958–1985
TV
  • Sports18
  • JioCinema
[1]
Websitewww.bcci.tv
Longest continuous championMumbai

The competition currently consists of 38 teams, with all 28 states in India and four of the eight union territories with at least one team from each. When the tournament was founded, it was named "the Cricket Championship of India", in 1935 it was renamed after Ranjitsinhji, who was the first Indian to play international cricket. He played for England from 1896 to 1902.[6][7][lower-alpha 1]

The Mumbai cricket team is the most successful team of the tournament, with a record 42 titles to their name.[8]

The Mumbai cricket team holds the present title of the 2023–24 edition. It defeated Vidharbha cricket team in the final at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai.[9][5]

History

Ranjitsinhji, after whom the tournament is named

The idea of a national level, first class championship tournament was proposed by BCCI's founder A.S. De Mello.[7] The competition was launched following BCCI's meeting at Shimla in July 1934,[10] with the first fixtures taking place in 1934–35 .Initially the tournament was named as 'The cricket championship of India', it later was renamed.[7] The trophy was donated by Bhupinder Singh, the Maharaja of Patiala in memory of Kumar Shri Ranjitsinhji, Jam Sahib of Nawanagar who had died the previous year.[10] The first match of the competition was held on 4 November 1934 between Madras and Mysore at the Chepauk ground in Madras (Now Chennai). Mumbai (Bombay) has won the tournament the most times with 42 wins including 15 back-to-back wins from 1958–59 to 1972–73.

In 2015 Paytm became the first company to hold the tournament's title sponsorship right by virtue of BCCI's title sponsorship deal.[11]

The 2020–21 Ranji Trophy tournament was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic,[12] the first season since the tournament's inception that it was not held.[13][14]

Participants

State and regional teams with first-class status and owned–operated by BCCI members play in the Ranji Trophy. Most associations are regional such as the Mumbai Cricket Association or the Karnataka State Cricket Association, while Railways and Services are pan-Indian.

All 28 states of India are represented, as are four of the eight union territories: Delhi, Chandigarh, Puducherry, and Jammu and Kashmir (which also represents the union territory of Ladakh). In addition, four teams represent regions within states: Mumbai and Vidarbha (both within Maharashtra) and Saurashtra and Baroda (both within Gujarat); and there are two pan-Indian teams: Railways, representing Indian Railways, and Services, representing the Indian Armed Forces. The state of Telangana is represented by the Hyderabad cricket team.

Current teams

The following 38 teams currently participate in the Ranji Trophy:

TeamHome ground/s[lower-alpha 2]First seasonFirst titleLast titleTotal titles
AndhraACA-VDCA International Cricket Stadium, Visakhapatnam1953–54
Arunachal Pradesh2018–19
AssamACA Stadium, Guwahati1948–49
BarodaMoti Bagh Stadium, Vadodara1937–381942–432000–015
BengalEden Gardens, Kolkata1935–361938–391989–903
BiharRajgir International Stadium, Nalanda1936–37
ChhattisgarhNava Raipur International Stadium, Naya Raipur2016–17
ChandigarhSector 16 Stadium, Chandigarh2019–20
DelhiArun Jaitley Stadium1934–351978–792007–087
GoaDr. Rajendra Prasad Stadium, Margao1985–86
GujaratNarendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad1935–362016–172016–171
HaryanaChaudhary Bansi Lal Cricket Stadium, Rohtak1970–711990–911990–911
Himachal PradeshHPCA Stadium, Dharamsala1985–86
HyderabadHyderabad Cricket Stadium, Hyderabad1934–351937–381986–872
Jammu and KashmirSher-e-Kashmir Stadium, Srinagar1959–60
JharkhandJSCA International Stadium Complex, Ranchi2004–05
Karnataka / MysoreM. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore1934–351973–742014–158
KeralaTrivandrum International Stadium, Thiruvananthapuram1957–58
Madhya Pradesh / HolkarHolkar Stadium, Indore1941–421945–462021–225
MaharashtraMaharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Pune1934–351939–401940–412
Manipur2018–19
MeghalayaMeghalaya Cricket Association Cricket Ground, Shillong2018–19
Mizoram2018–19
MumbaiWankhede Stadium, Mumbai1934–351934–352023–2442
NagalandNagaland Cricket Association Stadium, Sovima2018–19
Odisha / OrissaBarabati Stadium, Cuttack1949–50
PondicherryCAP Siechem Ground, Puducherry2018–19
PunjabInderjit Singh Bindra Stadium, Mohali1968–691992–931992–931
RailwaysKarnail Singh Stadium, New Delhi1958–592001–022004–052
Rajasthan / RajputanaSawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur1935–362010–112011–122
SaurashtraSaurashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Rajkot1936–372019–202022–232
SikkimMining Cricket Stadium, Rangpo2018–19
ServicesPalam A Stadium, New Delhi1949–50
Tamil Nadu / MadrasM. A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai1934–351954–551987–882
TripuraMaharaja Bir Bikram College Stadium, Agartala1985–86
Uttar Pradesh / United ProvincesBRSABV Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow1934–352005–062005–061
UttarakhandRajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium, Dehradun2018–19
VidarbhaNew VCA Stadium, Nagpur1957–582017–182018–192

Defunct teams

The following teams have appeared in the Ranji Trophy, but no longer do so:

  • Central India (1934/35 – 1940/41)
  • Central Provinces and Berar (1934/35 – 1949/50)
  • Northern India (1934/35 – 1946/47)
  • Sind (1934/35 – 1947/48)
  • Southern Punjab (1934/35 – 1951/52, 1959/60 – 1967/68)
  • Western India (1934/35 – 1945/46)
  • Nawanagar (1936/37 – 1947/48)
  • North West Frontier Province (1937/38 – 1946/47)
  • Holkar (1941/42 – 1954/55)
  • Gwalior (1943/44)
  • Patiala/Patiala and Eastern Punjab States Union (1948/49, 1953/54 – 1958/59)
  • Eastern Punjab (1950/51 – 1959/60)
  • Travancore-Cochin (1951/52 – 1956/57)
  • Madhya Bharat (1955/56 – 1956/57)
  • Northern Punjab (1960/61 – 1967/68)

Stadiums

Stadium City Capacity Home team
Narendra Modi StadiumAhmedabad132,000[15]Gujarat
Eden GardensKolkata66,000[16]Bengal
Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket StadiumRaipur65,000Chhattisgarh
Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket StadiumHyderabad55,000[17]Hyderabad
Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket StadiumLucknow55,000Uttar Pradesh
Greenfield International StadiumThiruvananthapuram55,000Kerala
JSCA International Cricket StadiumRanchi50,000Jharkhand
Barabati StadiumCuttack45,000Odisha
Rajgir International Cricket StadiumNalanda45,000Bihar
Vidarbha Cricket Association StadiumNagpur45,000Vidarbha
Arun Jaitley StadiumNew Delhi41,842[18]Delhi
M. Chinnaswamy StadiumBangalore40,000[19]Karnataka
Dr. Bhupen Hazarika Cricket StadiumGuwahati40,000Assam
Maharashtra Cricket Association StadiumPune37,406Maharashtra
M. A. Chidambaram StadiumChennai33,500[20]Tamil Nadu
Wankhede StadiumMumbai33,108[21]Mumbai
Holkar StadiumIndore30,000Madhya Pradesh
Maharaja Bir Bikram College StadiumAgartala30,000Tripura
Sector 16 StadiumChandigarh30,000Chandigarh
Saurashtra Cricket Association StadiumRajkot28,000Saurashtra
Inderjit Singh Bindra StadiumMohali26,000Punjab
Dr. Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy International Cricket StadiumVisakhapatnam25,000Andhra
Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association StadiumDharamshala25,000Himachal Pradesh
Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket StadiumDehradun25,000Uttarakhand
Sawai Mansingh StadiumJaipur23,185Rajasthan
Moti Bagh StadiumVadodara18,000Baroda
Mining Cricket StadiumRangpo17,500[22]Sikkim

Format

From the Ranji Trophy's inception until the 2001 season (with the exception of 1948–49 season), the teams were grouped geographically into four or five zones – North, West, East, and South, with Central added in 1952–53. Initial matches were played within the zones on a knock-out basis until 1956–57, and thereafter on a league basis, to determine a winner; then, the five individual zone winners competed in a knock-out tournament, leading to a final which decided the winner of the Ranji Trophy. From the 1970–71 season, the knock-out stage was expanded to the top two teams from each zone, a total of ten qualifying teams. This was expanded again to the top three from each zone in 1992–93, a total of fifteen qualifying teams; between 1996–97 and 1999–2000, the fifteen qualifying teams competed in a secondary group stage, with three groups of five teams, and the top two from each group qualified for a six-team knock-out stage; in all other years until 2001–02, a full fifteen-team knock-out tournament was held.

The format was changed in the 2002–03 season with the zonal system abandoned and a two-division structure adopted – the Elite Group, containing fifteen teams, and the Plate Group, containing the rest. Each group had two sub-groups which played a round-robin; the top two from each Elite sub-group then contested a four-team knock-out tournament to determine the winner of the Ranji Trophy. The team which finished last in each Elite sub-group was relegated, and both Plate Group finalists were promoted for the following season. For the 2006–07 season, the divisions were re-labelled the Super League and Plate League respectively.

In the 2008–09 season, this format was adjusted to give both Super League and Plate League teams an opportunity to contest the Ranji Trophy. The top two from each Plate sub-group contested semi-finals; the winners of these two matches then joined the top three from each Super League sub-group in an eight-team knock-out tournament. The winner of this knock-out tournament then won the Ranji Trophy. Promotion and relegation between Super League and Plate League continued as before. In the 2010–11 season, Rajasthan won the Ranji Trophy after beginning the season in the Plate League.

From the 2012–13 season, this format was adjusted slightly. The Super League and Plate League names were abandoned, but the two-tier system remained. The top tier expanded from fifteen teams to eighteen teams, in two sub-groups of nine (known as Group A and Group B, and considered equal in status); and the second tier was reduced to nine teams in a single group (known as Group C). The top three teams from Groups A and B and the top two from Group C contest the knockout phase. The lowest placed team in each of Group A and Group B is relegated to Group C, and the top two from Group C are promoted to the top tier.

For the 2017–18 season, the two-tier system was abandoned to have 4 groups of seven teams each and two quarter-finalists from each group.

From the 2018–19 season, the teams contested in three-tiers. Five teams will qualify for the quarter-finals from the top tier (known as Elite Group A and Group B). Two teams will qualify from the second-tier (Elite Group C) and one team from the lower-tier (Plate Group) for the quarter-finals.

Round-robin matches are four days in length; knockout matches are played for five days. Throughout its history, if there is no outright result in a Ranji Trophy knock-out match, the team leading after the first innings is the winner.

Prior to the 2016–17 season, matches were played at the home ground of one of the two teams taking part. For the 2016–17 edition, the BCCI decided that all games would be staged at a neutral venues.[23]

Points distribution system

Points in the league stages of both divisions are currently awarded as follows:

ScenarioPoints
Win outright6
Bonus point for inning or 10 wicket win1
First innings lead in a drawn match3
No result1
Tie in first inning's score in a drawn match1
Loss on the first inning 1
Lost outright0
Tie on both innings 3

Tournament records

Team records[24]
Most trophies wins42Mumbai1934–2024
Highest team score935/5 dec.Hyderabad v Andhra1993–94[25]
Lowest team score21Hyderabad v Rajasthan2010[26]
Individual match records[24]
Highest individual innings443*B. B. NimbalkarMaharashtra v Kathiawar1948–49[27]
Best innings bowling10/20Premangsu ChatterjeeBengal v Assam1956–57[28]
Best match bowling16/99Anil KumbleKarnataka v Kerala1994–95[29]
Individual season records[30]
Most runs in a season1,415V. V. S. LaxmanHyderabad1999–2000
Most centuries in a season7Wasim JafferMumbai1999–2000
Most wickets in a season68Ashutosh AmanBihar2018–19
Individual career records
Most career matches155Wasim Jaffer1996–2020
Most career runs12,038[31]Wasim Jaffer1996–2020
Most career centuries40[31]Wasim Jaffer1996–2020
Highest career batting average98.35[32]Vijay Merchant1934–51
Most career wickets640[33]Rajinder Goel1958–85

Some sources credit Goel with 636 or 640 wickets instead – see Rajinder Goel article for details.

Winners

The following teams have won the tournament:[10]

SeasonWinnerRunner-up Winning Captain
1934–35BombayNorthern India L. P. Jai
1935–36BombayMadras Hormasji Vajifdar
1936–37NawanagarBengal Albert Wensley
1937–38HyderabadNawanagar SM Hussain
1938–39BengalSouthern Punjab Tom Longfield
1939–40MaharashtraUnited Provinces D. B. Deodhar
1940–41MaharashtraMadras D. B. Deodhar
1941–42BombayMysore Vijay Merchant
1942–43BarodaHyderabad W.Ghorpade
1943–44Western IndiaBengal Herbert Barritt
1944–45BombayHolkar Vijay Merchant
1945–46HolkarBaroda C. K. Nayudu
1946–47BarodaHolkar Raosaheb Nimbalkar
1947–48HolkarBombay C. K. Nayudu
1948–49BombayBaroda K. C. Ibrahim
1949–50BarodaHolkar Raosaheb Nimbalkar
1950–51HolkarGujarat C. K. Nayudu
1951–52BombayHolkar Madhav Mantri
1952–53HolkarBengal C. K. Nayudu
1953–54BombayHolkar Ranga Sohoni
1954–55MadrasHolkar Balu Alaganan
1955–56BombayBengal Madhav Mantri
1956–57BombayServices Madhav Mantri
1957–58BarodaServices Datta Gaekwad
1958–59BombayBengal Madhav Apte
1959–60BombayMysore Polly Umrigar
1960–61BombayRajasthan Polly Umrigar
1961–62BombayRajasthan Madhav Apte
1962–63BombayRajasthan Polly Umrigar
1963–64BombayRajasthan Bapu Nadkarni
1964–65BombayHyderabad Bapu Nadkarni
1965–66BombayRajasthan Bapu Nadkarni
1966–67BombayRajasthan Manohar Hardikar
1967–68BombayMadras Manohar Hardikar
1968–69BombayBengal Ajit Wadekar
1969–70BombayRajasthan Ajit Wadekar
1970–71BombayMaharashtra Sudhir Naik
1971–72BombayBengal Ajit Wadekar
1972–73BombayTamil Nadu Ajit Wadekar
1973–74KarnatakaRajasthan E. A. S. Prasanna
1974–75BombayKarnataka Ashok Mankad
1975–76BombayBihar Ashok Mankad
1976–77BombayDelhi Sunil Gavaskar
1977–78KarnatakaUttar Pradesh E. A. S. Prasanna
1978–79DelhiKarnataka Bishan Singh Bedi
1979–80DelhiBombay Bishan Singh Bedi
1980–81BombayDelhi Eknath Solkar
1981–82DelhiKarnataka Mohinder Amarnath
1982–83KarnatakaBombay Brijesh Patel
1983–84BombayDelhi Sunil Gavaskar
1984–85BombayDelhi Sunil Gavaskar
1985–86DelhiHaryana Madan Lal
1986–87HyderabadDelhi M. V. Narasimha Rao
1987–88Tamil NaduRailways S. Vasudevan
1988–89DelhiBengal Madan Lal
1989–90BengalDelhi Sambaran Banerjee
1990–91HaryanaBombay Kapil Dev
1991–92DelhiTamil Nadu Ajay Sharma
1992–93PunjabMaharashtra Gursharan Singh
1993–94BombayBengal Ravi Shastri
1994–95BombayPunjab Sachin Tendulkar
1995–96KarnatakaTamil Nadu Anil Kumble
1996–97MumbaiDelhi Sanjay Manjrekar
1997–98KarnatakaUttar Pradesh Rahul Dravid
1998–99KarnatakaMadhya Pradesh Sunil Joshi
1999–00MumbaiHyderabad Sameer Dighe
2000–01BarodaRailways Jacob Martin
2001–02RailwaysBaroda Abhay Sharma
2002–03MumbaiTamil Nadu Paras Mhambrey
2003–04MumbaiTamil Nadu Sairaj Bahutule
2004–05RailwaysPunjab Sanjay Bangar
2005–06Uttar PradeshBengal Mohammad Kaif
2006–07MumbaiBengal Amol Muzumdar
2007–08DelhiUttar Pradesh Gautam Gambhir
2008–09MumbaiUttar Pradesh Wasim Jaffer
2009–10MumbaiKarnataka Wasim Jaffer
2010–11RajasthanBaroda Hrishikesh Kanitkar
2011–12RajasthanTamil Nadu Hrishikesh Kanitkar
2012–13MumbaiSaurashtra Ajit Agarkar
2013–14KarnatakaMaharashtra Vinay Kumar
2014–15KarnatakaTamil Nadu Vinay Kumar
2015–16MumbaiSaurashtra Aditya Tare
2016–17GujaratMumbai Parthiv Patel
2017–18VidarbhaDelhi Faiz Fazal
2018–19VidarbhaSaurashtra Faiz Fazal
2019–20SaurashtraBengal Jaydev Unadkat
2021–22 Madhya PradeshMumbai Aditya Shrivastava
2022–23SaurashtraBengal Jaydev Unadkat
2023–24MumbaiVidarbha Ajinkya Rahane

Finals appearances by team

Mumbai/Bombay have played in 48 finals and have won total 42 Ranji Trophy championships, the most by any team.

TeamWinnerRunner-upWin %Last win
Mumbai / Bombay42687.52024
Karnataka / Mysore8657.12015
Delhi7846.72008
Baroda5455.62001
Holkar46401953
Saurashtra23402023
Vidarbha2166.72019
Bengal21313.331990
Tamil Nadu / Madras21016.71988
Rajasthan2820.02012
Hyderabad2340.01987
Maharashtra2340.01941
Railways2250.02005
Uttar Pradesh / United Provinces1516.72006
Punjab1233.31993
Haryana1150.01991
Gujarat1150.02017
Nawanagar11501937
Madhya Pradesh11502022
Western India101001944
Services0200.0
Southern Punjab0100.0
Bihar0100.0
Northern India0100.0

Karnataka

Broadcasting

Sports18 TV channel and JioCinema has exclusive rights to broadcast the trophy live on television and online respectively.[34] BCCI's website runs match highlights. Star Sports and Disney+ Hotstar broadcast the tournament until 2022.[35][4]

Explanatory notes

  1. Ranjitsinhji played for England cricket team in Tests in early 20th century. He was a prince from Nawanagar princely state and later became king of Nawanagar.
  2. Each team has used several venues to host matches.

    See also

    • List of Ranji Trophy records
    • List of hat-tricks in the Ranji Trophy

    Other top domestic cricket tournaments of the BCCI

    Other

    Notes

    1. Irani Cup is single match tournament, in which last season's champion team play versus Rest of India cricket team. BCCI organise it on annually in October before India's cricket season starts.[37]

    References

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    3. "BCCI awards title sponsorship to IDFC first..." Economic times.com. Archived from the original on 27 August 2023.
    4. "The Board of Control for Cricket in India". bcci.tv.
    5. "Ranji trophy 2022–2023". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
    6. staff, ESPNcricinfo. "The Ranji Trophy". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 1 March 2023.
    7. "Ranji Trophy: 85 years, and counting". The Week. Retrieved 23 February 2023.
    8. "Mumbai win Ranji Trophy for 41st time". The Times of India. 26 February 2016.
    9. "रणजी करंडक क्रिकेट स्पर्धा : मध्य प्रदेश नवविजेते! ; अंतिम सामन्यात बलाढय़ ..." www.loksatta.com.
    10. "The Ranji Trophy". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 27 February 2017.
    11. "Times Now: English News, Today Headlines, Latest News and Updates". Archived from the original on 23 February 2023. Retrieved 19 August 2023.
    12. "No Ranji Trophy in 2020–21, but BCCI to hold domestic 50-over games for men, women, and U-19 boys". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
    13. Karhadkar, Amol (30 January 2021). "No Ranji Trophy for first time in 87 years". The Hindu. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
    14. "No Ranji Trophy For First Time in 87 Years, BCCI Opts For Vijay Hazare Trophy". Pro Batsman. 30 January 2021. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
    15. "BCCI Venues – Narendra Modi Stadium". www.bcci.tv. Retrieved 26 May 2022.
    16. "BCCI Venues – Eden Gardens". www.bcci.tv. Retrieved 26 May 2022.
    17. "BCCI Venues – Rajiv Gandhi Stadium". www.bcci.tv. Retrieved 26 May 2022.
    18. "BCCI Venues – Arun Jaitley Stadium". www.bcci.tv. Retrieved 26 May 2022.
    19. "BCCI Venues – M Chinnaswamy Stadium". www.bcci.tv. Retrieved 26 May 2022.
    20. "BCCI Venues – M A Chidambaram Stadium". www.bcci.tv. Retrieved 26 May 2022.
    21. "BCCI Venues – Wankhede Stadium". www.bcci.tv. Retrieved 26 May 2022.
    22. "For first time Sikkim to host Ranji Trophy matches, Himalayan state allotted three fixtures". nenow.in. 13 September 2022.
    23. "Ranji Trophy to be held at neutral venues, confirms BCCI". The Times of India. 24 June 2016. Retrieved 2 January 2017.
    24. Compiled from Overall First-Class Records Archived 22 February 2007 at the Wayback Machine at CricketArchive.
    25. Match scorecard. CricketArchive (1994-01-11). Retrieved on 2013-12-06.
    26. Match scorecard. CricketArchive (1935-02-06). Retrieved on 2013-12-06.
    27. Match scorecard. CricketArchive (1948-12-18). Retrieved on 2013-12-06.
    28. Match scorecard. CricketArchive (1957-01-29). Retrieved on 2013-12-06.
    29. Match scorecard. CricketArchive (1995-01-17). Retrieved on 2013-12-06.
    30. From Indian Cricket 2004, published by The Hindu, 2004
    31. "'My time under the sun is over' – domestic giant Wasim Jaffer retires at 42". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 8 March 2020.
    32. Partab Ramchand (19 February 2000). "Ajay Sharma in elite company". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 28 February 2007.
    33. Anil Gulati (30 June 2001). "I was born at the wrong time: Rajinder Goel". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 28 February 2007.
    34. "Viacom18 bags BCCI media rights..." www.timesofindia.com. Archived from the original on 1 September 2023.
    35. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 12 January 2023. Retrieved 19 August 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
    36. Dundoo, Sangeetha Devi (22 April 2019). "Nani-starrer 'Jersey', garners praise from cricket buffs". The Hindu.
    37. "Saurashtra (And Kathiawar) Cricket Team 2024 Schedules, Fixtures & Results, Time Table, Matches and upcoming series". ESPNcricinfo.
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