The Ranji Trophy 2026-27 season is set to begin on Sunday, October 11, with 38 teams competing in India’s premier domestic first-class tournament. The opening round will feature 19 matches across the Elite and Plate divisions, with several well-known Indian cricketers returning to domestic cricket.
Jammu and Kashmir enter the new season as defending champions after winning their maiden title last season. Their opening fixture against Madhya Pradesh will be among the matches to watch, while other teams will look to begin their campaigns with a strong performance.
Ranji Trophy 2026-27 opening-round schedule
The opening round will feature matches across four Elite groups and the Plate division. Here are the fixtures scheduled to begin on October 11.
Elite Group A
- Goa vs Baroda
- Vidarbha vs Puducherry
- Jammu and Kashmir vs Madhya Pradesh
- Bihar vs Uttar Pradesh
Elite Group B
- Saurashtra vs Chhattisgarh
- Punjab vs Assam
- Andhra vs Karnataka
- Hyderabad vs Tripura
Elite Group C
- Services vs Maharashtra
- Bengal vs Delhi
- Gujarat vs Odisha
- Jharkhand vs Kerala
Elite Group D
- Mumbai vs Chandigarh
- Rajasthan vs Tamil Nadu
- Railways vs Uttarakhand
- Haryana vs Himachal Pradesh
Plate Division
- Sikkim vs Meghalaya
- Mizoram vs Manipur
- Arunachal Pradesh vs Nagaland
Most matches are scheduled to begin at 9:30 AM IST, although start times may vary by fixture.
KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal and other Indian stars to watch
Several prominent Indian players will feature in the opening round, allowing fans to watch them in the longer format outside international cricket. KL Rahul will represent Karnataka in their match against Andhra. The experienced batter will look to make the most of his time in red-ball cricket, while Mohammed Siraj is expected to feature for Hyderabad against Tripura.
Mumbai will have Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sarfaraz Khan in their lineup for the game against Chandigarh. Their performances will be among the key talking points as the team begins its campaign. Ravindra Jadeja is set to turn out for Saurashtra against Chhattisgarh.
Meanwhile, Bengal’s fixture against Delhi could feature experienced Indian pacers Mohammed Shami, Mukesh Kumar and Akash Deep, depending on the final playing XIs. With several established players returning to domestic action, the first round will offer an early look at their form and preparation in red-ball cricket.
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Broadcast and live streaming details
Fans can watch the Ranji Trophy 2026-27 matches live on the Star Sports Network. Online live streaming will be available on the JioHotstar app and website. However, not every fixture is guaranteed to receive live video coverage. Viewers should check the broadcaster’s schedule and the streaming platform for the matches available to watch.
The opening-round matches begin on October 11, with most games starting at 9:30 AM IST. The tournament’s first phase will continue until November 5 before the league stage resumes in January 2027. With the defending champions looking to retain their title and several Indian stars back in domestic cricket, the new Ranji Trophy season promises plenty of storylines from the opening round.
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