Ranji Trophy back to home and away format for 2017-18 season

New Delhi: In a new development in domestic cricket in India, the Ranji Trophy format is back to what it was with teams playing home and away. This has come following the 2016-17 season having matches hosted on neutral venues. This was done to eliminate pitch doctoring from the country’s premier domestic competition.

But since the domestic captains were not happy with the new format, once again, starting 2017-18, matches will be played on the home and away basis.

Amitabh Choudhary, the acting secretary of the BCCI, was quoted to be saying in the media, “There will be a change from the past as far as Ranji Trophy is concerned. All league matches will be home and away as it was two seasons ago. The knockout matches will continue to be in neutral venues.”

He further said, “The committee also decided that for junior cricket, while the home and away will continue for league matches, the knockout matches will again be at neutral venues. Because of the addition of Chhattisgarh last year, the total number of teams in the Ranji Trophy became 28 as you are aware, leading to a skewed set-up of Ranji Trophy with 9+9+10 which works out to 28.”

He also added, “These 28 teams will be split up into four different groups. With top two teams qualifying for the quarterfinals and then further.”