The Ranji Trophy is set to return after a year’s break as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) unveiled the domestic cricket calendar for the 2021-22 season.
After a severely curtailed 2020-21 season owing to the COVID-19 outbreak, the BCCI has lined up grand season.
While the Ranji Trophy, the premier domestic championship, is scheduled to start on November 16, the season will begin with the women’s senior one-day league from September 21.
The only major tournaments missing are the Duleep Trophy and the Irani Cup.
“The BCCI is confident of hosting the domestic season with health and safety of players and all people involved being paramount,” BCCI secretary Jay Shah said in a statement.
Format
According to the statement, the Ranji Trophy and Vijay Hazare Trophy will have 38 teams being divided in four groups (nine each in Group A and B and 10 each in C and D). The Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy will see the teams being divided in five groups, with three of eight teams each and two with seven.
Even as the schedule will help scores of cricketers and officials involved in domestic season heave a sigh of relief, all stakeholders are desperately waiting for the announcement of the compensation package committed by the BCCI.
