Ranji Trophy 2026-27: Teams, Schedule, Fixtures, Results, Points Table & Winners
Follow the Ranji Trophy 2026-27, India’s premier domestic first-class cricket championship. Explore the complete schedule, 38 teams, group fixtures, live scores, points tables, knockout dates, squads, venues, historical records and tournament format across four Elite groups and the Plate group.
Ranji Trophy 2026-27 at a Glance
The Ranji Trophy 2026-27 marks the 92nd edition of India’s most prestigious domestic cricket competition. Follow the latest Ranji Trophy schedule, teams, fixtures, results and points tables as 38 state and regional sides compete for the championship.
| Information | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Ranji Trophy |
| Format | First-Class (4-day matches) |
| Country | India |
| Organised By | Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) |
| First Season | 1934-35 |
| 2026-27 Edition | 92nd Season |
| Teams | 38 (32 Elite + 6 Plate) |
| Elite Groups | 4 Groups (A, B, C, D) of 8 teams each |
| Plate Group | 1 Group of 6 teams |
| 2026-27 Start Date | 11 October 2026 |
| 2026-27 Final | March 2027 (TBC) |
| Defending Champion | Vidarbha |
| Most Successful | Mumbai (42 titles) |
| Live Streaming | JioHotstar |
| Live Scores | BCCI.tv / IndCricLeague |
What is the Ranji Trophy?
The Ranji Trophy is India’s premier domestic first-class cricket competition, organised annually by the BCCI. Contested by 38 teams representing Indian states, union territories and regional cricket associations, it is widely regarded as one of the most rigorous domestic cricket tournaments in the world. The competition has been the primary breeding ground for Indian Test cricketers for nearly nine decades.
Named after K.S. Ranjitsinhji, the legendary Indian cricketer who played for England, the tournament was first held in 1934-35. Over the decades, it has evolved from a knockout competition into a comprehensive league-cum-knockout format, giving teams multiple matches and ensuring that consistency is rewarded.
The 2026-27 season begins shortly after India’s international white-ball commitments, including the India vs West Indies ODI series, and runs through the winter months alongside other domestic competitions. You can also follow India’s campaign at the Asian Games Cricket 2026 and the India vs Afghanistan T20I series for more international and multi-format cricket action.
Ranji Trophy 2026-27 Season Summary
The Ranji Trophy 2026-27 gets underway on 11 October 2026 with the opening round of Elite and Plate group matches. The league phase runs through October, November, December, January and February, with teams playing seven group matches each in the Elite division and five in the Plate division.
The competition follows the established format of four-day first-class cricket, with the top two teams from each Elite group advancing to the quarter-finals. The Plate group winner earns promotion to the Elite division for the following season, while the bottom-placed Elite side is relegated.
The knockout phase — comprising the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final — is scheduled for February and March 2027. The final will be played at a neutral venue over five days, with the champions crowned based on the first-innings lead rule if the match is drawn.
Ranji Trophy 2026-27 Teams
The Ranji Trophy features 38 teams divided into four Elite groups and one Plate group. Each team plays every other team in its group once during the league stage.
Ranji Trophy 2026-27 Format
The Ranji Trophy follows a league-cum-knockout format across four-day first-class matches.
League Stage
32 Elite teams in 4 groups of 8. Each team plays 7 group matches. 6 Plate teams play 5 matches.
Quarter-Finals
Top 2 teams from each Elite group (8 total) advance to the quarter-finals. Knockout matches played over 4 days.
Semi-Finals
Four quarter-final winners progress to the semi-finals. Played over 4 days at neutral venues.
Final
The championship decider played over 5 days. If drawn, the team with the first-innings lead is declared champion.
Teams earn 6 points for an outright win, with bonus points available for achieving first-innings leads in drawn matches. The points system rewards teams for taking the initiative and pushing for results on the final day.
The Plate group winner earns promotion to the Elite division for the following season, replacing the lowest-ranked Elite team, which is relegated. This ensures competitive balance and gives emerging cricket states a pathway to the top tier.
Ranji Trophy 2026-27 Schedule & Fixtures
The Ranji Trophy 2026-27 schedule spans six months from October 2026 to March 2027. Check our live cricket scores page for match updates.
Ranji Trophy 2026-27 Points Table
Elite Group A standings and team positions from the Ranji Trophy 2026-27 league stage.
| Pos | Team | Mat | Won | Lost | Draw | Pts | Q |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mumbai | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2 | Karnataka | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 3 | Saurashtra | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 4 | Uttarakhand | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 5 | Maharashtra | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 6 | Rajasthan | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 7 | Services | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 8 | Haryana | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
* Points table will be updated as matches are completed. All teams begin the season on 0 points.
Ranji Trophy 2026-27 Key Squads
Expected squads and key players for the leading Ranji Trophy 2026-27 teams.
| Team | Captain | Key Players |
|---|---|---|
| Mumbai | Shreyas Iyer | Sarfaraz Khan, Prithvi Shaw, Shardul Thakur, Tanush Kotian, Mohit Avasthi |
| Vidarbha | Akshay Wadkar | Umesh Yadav, Aditya Sarwate, Atharva Taide, Yash Rathod, Harsh Dubey |
| Bengal | Abhimanyu Easwaran | Shahbaz Ahmed, Mukesh Kumar, Ishan Porel, Sudip Gharami, Anustup Majumdar |
| Saurashtra | Jaydev Unadkat | Cheteshwar Pujara, Sheldon Jackson, Dharmendrasinh Jadeja, Chirag Jani, Harvik Desai |
| Karnataka | Mayank Agarwal | Manish Pandey, K. Gowtham, Vyshak Vijaykumar, Nikin Jose, Shreyas Gopal |
| Madhya Pradesh | Venkatesh Iyer | Saransh Jain, Kumar Kartikeya, Yash Dubey, Shubham Sharma, Avesh Khan |
| Delhi | Himmat Singh | Harshit Rana, Navdeep Saini, Lalit Yadav, Ayush Badoni, Pradeep Sangwan |
| Tamil Nadu | Baba Indrajith | Sai Kishore, Washington Sundar, Shahrukh Khan, N Jagadeesan, Sandeep Warrier |
Ranji Trophy 2026-27 Venues
Ranji Trophy matches are played across numerous venues throughout India, from international stadiums to state association grounds.
Other Notable Venues: Brabourne Stadium (Mumbai), MCA Stadium (Pune), Holkar Stadium (Indore), Green Park (Kanpur), Barabati Stadium (Cuttack), VCA Stadium (Nagpur), SMS Stadium (Jaipur), KSCA Hubli, NPR College Ground (Dindigul)
Ranji Trophy History
The Ranji Trophy was inaugurated in 1934-35, with the first match played between Madras and Mysore at Chepauk. Mumbai (then Bombay) won the inaugural title and has since become the most successful team in the competition’s history with 42 championships.
The tournament has undergone several format changes, moving from a simple knockout to zonal leagues and eventually to the current mixed league-knockout structure. The modern format with Elite and Plate divisions was introduced to ensure competitive balance and give smaller associations a platform to develop.
In recent years, teams like Vidarbha, Saurashtra and Madhya Pradesh have challenged the traditional powerhouses, reflecting the growing depth of Indian domestic cricket. The 2026-27 season continues this tradition as the 92nd edition of the championship.
Ranji Trophy Winners List (Recent Seasons)
| Season | Champion | Runner-up | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-20 | Saurashtra | Bengal | Rajkot |
| 2021-22 | Madhya Pradesh | Mumbai | Bengaluru |
| 2022-23 | Saurashtra | Bengal | Indore |
| 2023-24 | Mumbai | Vidarbha | Mumbai |
| 2024-25 | Vidarbha | Kerala | Nagpur |
| 2026-27 | TBD | TBD | TBC |
Most Successful Teams: Mumbai (42 titles), Karnataka (8 titles), Delhi (7 titles), Madhya Pradesh, Baroda, Tamil Nadu, Hyderabad, Maharashtra, Bengal, Saurashtra, Vidarbha (1 each in recent decades).
Ranji Trophy Records
Why the Ranji Trophy Remains the Backbone of Indian Cricket
The Ranji Trophy remains the most important domestic cricket competition in India. It is the primary pathway for players aspiring to represent the Indian national team in Test cricket. Nearly every Indian Test cricketer has come through the Ranji system, using the four-day format to develop the temperament, technique and stamina required for international cricket.
For emerging players from smaller states, the Plate group provides a crucial entry point, while the Elite division offers the highest standard of domestic first-class cricket outside the international calendar. The tournament’s structure ensures that talent is identified from every corner of the country.
The 2026-27 season arrives at an important juncture, with India preparing for future Test series and the next World Test Championship cycle. Performances in the Ranji Trophy will heavily influence selection debates for the national side. Follow all the action alongside international fixtures such as the India vs West Indies ODI series and the India vs Afghanistan T20I series.
Ranji Trophy FAQs
What is the Ranji Trophy?
The Ranji Trophy is India’s premier domestic first-class cricket competition, organised by the BCCI. It features 38 teams competing in four-day matches across Elite and Plate divisions.
When does the Ranji Trophy 2026-27 start?
The Ranji Trophy 2026-27 season begins on 11 October 2026 and runs through to the final in March 2027.
How many teams play in the Ranji Trophy?
The Ranji Trophy currently has 38 teams — 32 in the Elite division (4 groups of 8) and 6 in the Plate division.
Which team has won the most Ranji Trophy titles?
Mumbai (formerly Bombay) is the most successful team with 42 Ranji Trophy titles.
What is the format of the Ranji Trophy?
The tournament follows a league-cum-knockout format. Teams play group matches in a round-robin format, with the top two from each Elite group advancing to the quarter-finals, followed by semi-finals and a five-day final.
How can I watch Ranji Trophy 2026-27 live?
Select Ranji Trophy matches are streamed live on JioHotstar and the BCCI.tv platform. Live scores and updates are available on IndCricLeague.
Who won the last Ranji Trophy season?
Vidarbha won the Ranji Trophy 2024-25, defeating Kerala in the final.
Where is the Ranji Trophy 2026-27 final played?
The venue for the Ranji Trophy 2026-27 final will be confirmed by the BCCI during the knockout phase, typically held at a neutral venue with Test-standard facilities.
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