BCCI splits Ranji Trophy schedule

The Board of Control for Cricket in India released its 2026-27 domestic schedule on May 20, setting out a 1,788-match season across men’s and women’s age-group and senior competitions. The calendar keeps the Ranji Trophy in a two-phase format, with the first leg from October 11 to November 5 and the second leg from January 17 to March 3, 2027. The BCCI said the format is intended to provide “adequate recovery time for players” while maintaining multi-day cricket as a priority. ### Why did the Ranji Trophy get split again? The BCCI said on May 20 that the Ranji Trophy “will continue to be played in a two-phase format,” alongside the Col. C.K. Nayudu Trophy, to ensure recovery time for players. The board placed that decision inside a broader domestic structure that starts with the Duleep Trophy on August 23 and runs through late March 2027. (bcci.tv) CricketCountry, citing the BCCI release, reported that phase one of the Ranji season will cover four rounds between October 11 and November 5. Phase two will resume after the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and Vijay Hazare Trophy, creating a red-ball, T20 and one-day sequence rather than a continuous Ranji block. (bcci.tv) ### What exactly are the new windows? The Duleep Trophy will run from August 23 to September 10 at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, according to the board and published schedules. The Irani Cup between Jammu and Kashmir and Rest of India is scheduled for October 1 to 5 in Srinagar, with some listings describing the host as Jammu/Srinagar. (cricketcountry.com) The Ranji Trophy’s first phase begins on October 11. The Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy follows from November 14 to December 6, and the Vijay Hazare Trophy from December 14, 2026 to January 8, 2027. Ranji then resumes on January 17, with league-stage second-leg matches through February 4 and knockouts from February 9 to March 3, according to Sportstar’s schedule breakdown. (bcci.tv) ### What changes for teams and players? The Ranji Trophy Elite Group will have 32 teams across four groups, while the Plate Group will have six teams, the BCCI said. That means teams will play the opening red-ball block, switch to national white-ball tournaments, and then return to the first-class competition in January. (cricketcountry.com) The same sequencing affects selection and scouting windows. CricketCountry reported that the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy timing gives IPL talent scouts a chance to prepare lists before the IPL auction, which it said is expected in December. That places the domestic T20 competition between the two Ranji phases rather than after the red-ball season is complete. (bcci.tv) ### Which venues are tied to the white-ball stretch? The Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy league stage will be played in Mumbai, Mohali, Visakhapatnam and Kolkata, with the knockout stage in Nagpur, according to CricketCountry. Sportstar’s venue listing also places the knockouts in Nagpur. (cricketcountry.com) The Vijay Hazare Trophy is scheduled across Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Ranchi and Rajkot, with Visakhapatnam hosting the knockouts, Sportstar reported. Those fixed venue clusters sit between the two Ranji windows and shape the middle section of the domestic season. (cricketcountry.com) ### What else changed in the domestic structure? The BCCI said the Men’s U23 State A Trophy and the Vizzy Trophy have been converted from one-day competitions to T20 tournaments. The board also reinstated the Col. C.K. Nayudu Trophy Winners vs Rest of India fixture from October 1 to 4, 2026, and moved the Vijay Merchant Trophy to a November-to-January slot. (sportstar.thehindu.com) The next dated milestones in the men’s calendar are August 23 for the Duleep Trophy in Bengaluru, October 1 for the Irani Cup in Srinagar, and October 11 for the opening round of the Ranji Trophy. The BCCI’s domestic season advisory and ready reckoner carry the full competition list, dates and venue details. (bcci.tv)