What should be BCCI’s priority in domestic season – first-class or T20?

With the conclusion of India’s T20 carnival (IPL) and now with the Indian team also back onto the field with their ongoing tour of Australia, the BCCI’s next mammoth task is to devise and accommodate India’s domestic cricket season 2020-21 despite facing the heavy incursion caused by the pandemic.

Given the present situation, the BCCI had sent a proposal to the state associations including four options which were: only Ranji Trophy, only Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, both Ranji Trophy and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy or only the limited-overs tournaments.

The opinion of state associations

However, in response to the BCCI’s proposal almost every state association has overwhelmingly favoured for the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy which makes the event a high priority demand in the domestic calendar.

There have been states like Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka along with Vidarbha and Andhra Cricket Association who have chosen both options of having Ranji Trophy along with the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. Whereas, the other giant associations including the current Ranji champions Saurashtra, Mumbai and Tamil Nadu have only backed the limited-overs tournament which includes the Vijay-Hazare Trophy.

Some of the other state associations have propounded the idea of beginning the season with the T20 tournament whose success then can pave the way ahead when it comes to organizing the further tournaments.

Also, the other strong reasons which give the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy a high command over others is because of the upcoming IPL edition wherein the BCCI has intended to introduce two additional teams which can eventually lead to a mega auction.

4⃣ fours and 4⃣ sixes! ??

Let’s relive Prithvi Shaw’s stroke-filled 2⃣7⃣-ball 5⃣3⃣-run knock during the @paytm #MushtaqAliT20 Trophy. ??

Video ? https://t.co/CfCdqusRIX pic.twitter.com/sITb8DTPNm

— BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) June 14, 2020

In such a case the T20 event then becomes a value-added aid for teams when it comes to scouting of the local talent. Hence, all the above factors do indicate that the desired T20 event could eventually commence India’s domestic season of 2020-21.

Should we ignore red-ball cricket?

Now with most states preferring for white-ball cricket, the BCCI still needs to prioritize and formulate the scheduling of Ranji Trophy rather than rubbing it out entirely from its domestic calendar. Although the red-ball tournament does look a lofty affair to organize but overall if we look into the domestic season of other nations like England and Australia then they did had or do have their first-class cricket alongside with T20 cricket in their domestic calendar.

Take for instance England’s season of 2020 which not only had T20 cricket in it but also had a separate first-class red-ball tournament named ‘Bob Willis Trophy’ which eventually replaced their County Championship because of the pandemic.

Australia, on the other hand, also did not leave out the Sheffield Shield season which is their first-class tournament and also will be soon commencing with Big Bash League which is their marquee T20 tournament.

In short, despite having so much demand for limited-overs cricket illuminating from the scheduled T20 World Cup in 2021 and from the upcoming IPL edition, the BCCI can, however, leave out the Vijay Hazare Trophy which is the 50-over event and can have both the T20 event and the Ranji trophy.

Red-ball cricket is as important as the other formats. And while the BCCI can always organise Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, they shouldn’t ignore Ranji Trophy.