The excitement of Ranji Trophy 2026-27, starting from Sunday (October 11), is going to increase with the presence of the star players of Team India. In this prestigious domestic tournament, many veteran players like KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja will shine, while young players will also have a chance to showcase their talent. Eyes will also be on whether, like Jammu and Kashmir's title win in the last season, this time too any team can achieve the honor of becoming champion by performing unexpectedly.
Last season, Jammu and Kashmir surprised everyone by defeating the 8-time champion and Karnataka team adorned with veteran players. However, the team knows that defending the title will not be easy, because this time the rival teams will come against them with better preparation. Apart from strong teams like Mumbai, Karnataka, Bengal, Delhi, Saurashtra and Vidarbha, teams like Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Jharkhand and Maharashtra will also enter with the intention of winning the title. The final will be played on 27 February 2027.
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Presence of greats will add thrill
This time the presence of many star players in the tournament will also be special. Veteran players like KL Rahul (Karnataka), Washington Sundar (Tamil Nadu), Ravindra Jadeja (Saurashtra), Yashasvi Jaiswal (Mumbai) and Rajat Patidar (Madhya Pradesh) can be seen playing the entire competition or some of its matches this season. For these players, the objective of playing in Ranji Trophy will not only be to help their team win, but also to strengthen their preparations at the individual level.
Rahul and Yashasvi will have a good opportunity to practice with the red ball before the two-Test series on the upcoming tour of New Zealand. Washington Sundar would like to sharpen his bowling in an attempt to make it to the Indian Test team. Being out of the ongoing T20 series against West Indies is also being considered as an indication that his bowling is not as sharp as before.
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Will there be a path of return for Shami?
Players like Mohammed Shami will also try to attract the attention of the selectors with their performance in this tournament. Shami has not played Test cricket since 2023 and has not been a part of the Indian team in any format since 2025. His excellent performance in the last domestic season has kept the hopes of a comeback in the Indian team alive. The return of Bhuvneshwar Kumar to the Indian T20 team for the New Zealand tour might have also given hope to Shami.
India has to play 5 Test matches against Australia at home early next year. In such a situation, a good performance by Bengal in Ranji Trophy can open the way for Shami to return to the national team.
In view of the increasing problem of injuries in Team India, the selectors would like to increase the range of talented players, so that they have adequate options when needed. This season will also be an important opportunity for young players to prove their talent.
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Will the players of Bihar-Jharkhand shine again?
Bihar's young batsman Vaibhav Suryavanshi has given the state a new identity on the world cricket map with his performance. Now players like Sakibul Ghani would also like to perform better to carry forward this new identity of Bihar and attract the attention of the selectors. Jharkhand is also gradually emerging as a center of talented batsmen. Now the identity of the team is not limited to the legacy of Mahendra Singh Dhoni or the performance of Ishan Kishan. Players like Kumar Kushagra, Anukul Roy, Shikhar Mohan, Virat Singh and Sharandeep Singh are taking the team forward with their impressive innings.
Jharkhand will expect big performance from these players this time too. Among the young bowlers, players like Gurjapaneet Singh of Tamil Nadu, Harsh Dubey of Vidarbha, T Vijay of Telangana and Zishan Ansari of Uttar Pradesh would like to impress the selectors.
The presence of Indian stars in the initial rounds of the tournament will be the main attraction of the tournament, but the performance of young talents and experienced players will also be in focus throughout the season. These matches will make Ranji Trophy interesting and will decide which team will be crowned the title this time. The matches of the tournament will start from Sunday at 9:30 am on different grounds of the country.