Ranji Trophy To Return, Men's Domestic Season To Begin On Oct 20

The Indian men's domestic cricket season, also including Ranji Trophy which was cancelled last season due to Covid-19 pandemic, will commence on October 20 and run till March 26, 2022. The multi-day Ranji Trophy will be played in a three-month window from November 16, 2021 to February 19, 2022, the Indian cricket board announced on Saturday.

"The Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy will kick-start on October 20, 2021 with the final to be played on November 12, 2021," said a statement from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

The Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, which is the national T20 tournament, will begin five days after the remainder of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 tournament is completed on October 15.

"The coveted Ranji Trophy, which was cancelled last season due to the Covid-19 pandemic, will be played in a three-month window from November 16, 2021 to February 19, 2022," the statement added.

"The Vijay Hazare Trophy will take place from February 23, 2022 to March 26, 2022," it added.

A total of 2,127 domestic games will be played this season across various age groups in the men's & women's categories.

The women's tournaments will, however, start the domestic season.

"The domestic season will commence on September 21, 2021, with the Senior Women's One Day League and will be followed by the Senior Women's One Day Challenger Trophy, which will take place from October 27, 2021," the statement said.