India’s premier first-class cricket league, the Ranji Trophywill return for its 91st season (2025-26), with 38 teams competing for the coveted title. The season will begin on October 15, 2025 and end almost five months later on February 28, 2026. This five-month period will witness a massive schedule with a total of 138 high-stakes first-class matches.
The opening round of the tournament promises immediate action, with 19 matches scheduled at multiple locations across the country. The Ranji Trophy remains the oldest and most prestigious competition in Indian domestic cricket, serving as a crucial platform where a compelling mix of youth talent, seasoned international stars and intense state rivalry sets the stage for a gripping and competitive season.
Ranji Trophy 2025-26 Structure: Elite and Plate divisions
The tournament format for the 2025-2026 season will follow the established two-tier structure: the Elite Division and the Plate Division. This structure ensures competitive balance while providing a clear pathway for promotion and an accountability mechanism through relegation.
Elite Division: The Elite division represents the highest level of first-class cricket in India.
Teams and groups: The Elite category consists of 32 teams. These teams are divided into four different groups, called A, B, C and D.
Competition phase: Each team participates in a single round-robin format, playing every other team within its respective group once.
Qualification: The competition for the knockout places will be fierce. The top two teams from each of the four Elite groups (A, B, C and D) will progress. This process carries over into the knockout stages, resulting in an eight-team structure from the quarter-finals onwards.
Ranji Trophy 2025-26: Teams and Groups
- Group A: Uttar Pradesh, Andhra, Tamil Nadu, Jharkhand, Odisha, Baroda, Nagaland, Vidarbha
- Group B: Saurashtra, KarnatakaKerala MaharashtraGoa, Chandigarh, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab
- Group C: Railways, Haryana, Bengal, Uttarakhand, Gujarat, Assam, Services, Tripura
- Group D: Hyderabad, Delhi, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Jammu and Kashmir, Mumbai, Pondicherry, Himachal Pradesh
- Plate group: Bihar, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram
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Ranji Trophy 2025-26 Round 1: Matches and Venues
Group A
- Uttar Pradesh vs Andhra – Green Park, Kanpur
- Tamil Nadu vs Jharkhand – Sri Ramakrishna College of Arts and Science Ground, Coimbatore
- Odisha vs Baroda – Barabati Stadium, Cuttack
- Nagaland vs Vidarbha – BCCI Center of Excellence Ground 1, Bengaluru
Group B
- Saurashtra vs Karnataka – Niranjan Shah Stadium, Khandheri, Rajkot
- Kerala vs Maharashtra – Greenfield International Stadium, Thiruvananthapuram
- Goa vs Chandigarh – Goa Cricket Association Academy Ground, Porvorim
- Madhya Pradesh vs Punjab – Emerald High School Ground, Indore
Group C
- Railways vs Haryana – Pithwala Stadium, Bhimpore, Surat
- Bengal vs Uttarakhand – Eden Gardens, Kolkata
- Gujarat vs Assan – Narendra Modi Stadium A Ground, Ahmedabad
- Services vs Tripura – Palam A Stadium, Delhi
Group D
- Hyderabad vs Delhi – NexGen Cricket Ground, Hyderabad
- Rajasthan vs Chhattisgarh – Madan Paliwal Miraj Sports Centre, Rajsamand, Rajasthan
- Jammu & Kashmir vs Mumbai – Sher-i-Kashmir Stadium, Srinagar
- Puducherry vs Himachal Pradesh – Cricket Association Puducherry Siechem Ground, Puducherry
Plate group
- Bihar vs Arunachal Pradesh-Moin-Al-Haq Stadium, Patna
- Sikkim vs Manipur – SICA Ground, Rangpo
- Meghalaya vs Mizoram – Meghalaya Cricket Association Cricket Ground, Shillong
Remark: All matches will start at 9:30 AM IST.
Ranji Trophy 2025-26: Live streaming details
Only the knockout matches will be broadcast live and streamed online. Star Sports India and JioHotstar will telecast the quarter-finals, semi-finals and the grand final.
Also READ: Asia Cup hero Tilak Varma to captain Hyderabad in Ranji Trophy 2025-26; here is the complete team
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