Reports: 8 state associations request BCCI to conduct group stage of Ranji Trophy

As many as eight state associations have requested the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to reconsider their decision to cancel the Ranji Trophy. This is the second straight year that the Ranji Trophy’s fate in uncertain and the pandemic has had a big impact on the domestic seasons especially. The Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and Vijay Hazare Trophy have already been completed a few months back but Ranji Trophy had to be called off after the third wave started.

The BCCI recently concluded in a meeting that the IPL 2022 mega auction will get underway as planned on February 12 and 13 in Bangalore while the tournament will also start around the last week of March. The venue is yet to be confirmed and BCCI is open to options outside the country as well due to the risk involved in playing in the country.

It will also be a challenge for BCCI as they would try conducting the Ranji Trophy before the IPL 2022 and the possibility looks very bleak at the moment.

State Boards requests to hold group stages at least

According to the New Indian Express, several state associations have been requesting the BCCI to reconsider cancelling the Ranji Trophy for this season and to hold the group stages at least. However, the question is if the 75-day window needed for the Ranji Trophy is available at the moment with IPL 2022 is nearing towards it start in two months time.

Even if BCCI is looking to complete the group stage, it is expected to take 39 days including the quarantines and bio bubbles which might not be ideal at the moment. The tournament has to start by February in that case if it has to fit inside the window before the IPL starts and any time later is going to rule out the opportunity. Currently, the BCCI has the entire February and the first two weeks of March if they think of conducting at least the group stages.