Arjit Kumar - Tuesday, Oct 14, 2025Indian domestic cricket's most prestigious tournament, the Ranji Trophy 2025-26, begins on . This tournament not only provides a platform for India's rising cricket stars, but is also in the news for a special reason—the potential return of Team India's star wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant.
Pant has been away from competitive cricket since being injured in July during the England tour. He is undergoing rehabilitation at the BCCI's Centre of Excellence (COE) after fracturing his toe after being hit by a ball from Chris Woakes in the Manchester Test. Delhi has not included him in the squad for the first round, but if approved by the CoE, Pant could take the field against Himachal Pradesh on October 25 or Puducherry on November 1.
Many young players are ready to showcase their talent in the Ranji Trophy this time. Names like R. Smriti from Karnataka, Andre Siddharth from Tamil Nadu, and Yash Dhull from Delhi will be taking the field with the hope of making it to the Indian team.
The 42-time Ranji Trophy champions, Mumbai, are considered strong contenders for the title this time around. Defending champions Vidarbha will be aiming to repeat their victory. Teams like Delhi, Saurashtra, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Karnataka will also be looking to uphold their reputation.
A total of 38 teams will participate in the tournament this time, with 32 teams competing in the Elite Group and 6 teams in the Plate Group. The first phase will be played between October 15-18 and November 16-19. The second phase will begin on January 22, with the final being held on February 24.
Conclusion - The Ranji Trophy 2025-26 is not just a tournament, but the foundation of Indian cricket. The return of Rishabh Pant, the hunger of the young players, and the competitiveness of the teams are making the tournament even more exciting. It will be interesting to see which players make their mark and which teams win the title in the coming weeks.
