Ranji Trophy 2025–26 Schedule
In the 91st season, which ran from October 15, 2025 to February 28, 2026, the tournament went through a league stage which was followed by knockout rounds as teams vied for the top domestic honour.
In the Elite division, we had two stages for the season. In the first, which went from October to November 2025, we had the initial phase; for the second, which was in January 2026, we had the second phase. Also in February 2026, we saw the knock-out stage, which ended with the final.
Vidarbha came into the tournament as defending champions after they won the previous season. But it was Jammu and Kashmir which went on to make history by defeating Karnataka in the final to record their first-ever Ranji Trophy title.
Teams and Groups
In the competition, we had 38 teams in total, which included 32 Elite and 6 Plate teams.
The Elite division featured four groups: In the Elite division there were 4 groups:.
- Elite Group A:Â Vidarbha, Tamil Nadu, Baroda, Jharkhand, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra and Nagaland.
- Elite Group B:Â Kerala, Saurashtra, Chandigarh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab and Goa.
- Elite Group C:Â Gujarat, Haryana, Services, Bengal, Railways, Tripura, Uttarakhand and Assam.
- Elite Group D:Â Mumbai, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Delhi, Hyderabad, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Puducherry.
The Plate also included Bihar, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Sikkim, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh.
Important Players and Squads
Over the course of the season, we saw outperforming cricketers and also saw talented young players break ground. In Mumbai, we saw the experience of Ajinkya Rahane, Shardul Thakur and also that of Sarfaraz Khan. Karnataka had Mayank Agarwal and also saw play from Karun Nair, while in Bengal we had the inclusion of the likes of Abhimanyu Easwaran and Mohammed Shami.
Vidarbha had in its team captain Akshay Wadkar, Atharva Taide and also a host of talented spinners. In Jammu and Kashmir, we also saw great talent in the form of Paras Dogra, Abdul Samad and Umran Malik.
Squad make-ups were different for each round that we saw, which in turn affected the final eleven that took the field. Out of this, what I enjoy most about domestic cricket is how great performances by players open up opportunities in the senior teams.
Where to Watch Ranji Trophy 2025–26
In some of the matches in India, Star Sports Khel on TV and JioHotstar for online were the platforms to watch. But not all games were covered live, which is why it is important for to check match by match what is being shown.
Fans also have access to scorecards, results and fixtures via the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s official site, which also includes major cricket platforms.
Why the Ranji Trophy Matters
The Ranji Trophy is an integral part of the Indian cricket structure. It is a stage for players’ patience, technique, and fitness to be put to the test and also to display performance over the course of many days. In contrast to T20 cricket, which rewards quick points, first-class matches value consistency and focus over long stretches of play.
For spectators, the tournament is a thrilling stage which brings to light talented local cricketers that may go on to be the next great internationals. The 2025 26 season was an epitome of this with the history-making victory from Jammu and Kashmir’s team, which served as a fantastic capstone to that very competitive cycle.
The tournament’s importance extends beyond trophies: It is growing India’s talent pool and upholding the legacy of red-ball cricket.
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