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Just entering its 90th year, the Ranji Trophy is the star attraction for all cricket lovers in India. This oldest Indian domestic cricket competition has been ongoing since the 1934-35 season.
Table of Contents
Teams for this trophy are drawn or selected from regional and state cricket associations, with matches held in different stadiums and grounds across India.
At the time of the tournament’s foundation, it was named The Cricket Championship of India. However, it was renamed after the Jam Sahib of Nawanagar, Ranjitsinghi (in 1935): His Highness Colonel Shri Sir Ranjitsinhji Vibhaji II. He ruled Nawanagar (present-day Gujarat), a princely state during British times, from 1907 to 1933. As he was popularly known as Ranji, the tournament assumed this name.
The Ranji Trophy comprises 38 teams: 28 Indian states, four Union Territories, and two pan-India associations—Railways and Services. The remaining teams include Saurashtra (Kathiawar/Nawanagar), Vidarbha, Mumbai (Bombay), and Baroda.
At a meeting held in February 1927 at the Roshanara Club in Delhi, de Mello, Grant Govan, and the Maharaja of Patiala decided to form a Board. Gilligan pledged his support on behalf of the MCC.
December 1928: BCCI was founded at a meeting at Roshana Club in Delhi. Grant Govan became the (First) President, and de Mello became the Secretary.
1929: De Mello and Grant Govan went to England to organize tours of India by the South Africa team.
May 1929: De Mello and Grant Govan represented India at the Imperial Cricket Conference (England), making BCCI a global face.
1930-31: A tour of India by the MCC was organized. Note: Though both the India tours by South Africa and Australia were finally canceled, the run of the BCCI began successfully.
July 1934: BCCI proposed launching the competition during a meeting in Simla.
1934-35: The first BCCI fixtures took place under the banner of The Cricket Championship of India (which later changed to BCCI).
November 1934: The first match was held on November 4, 1934, at the Chepauk Stadium in Chennai (then Madras) between Madras and Mysore.
Jam Sahib was the first-ever Maharaja of a State and also the first Indian to play at international cricket tournaments. As an unorthodox batsman, he developed his own style, which is still being replicated today by other cricketers in India.
Participating in international matches since 1893, Jam Sahib established himself as one of the greatest batsmen of his time. He distinguished himself in matches for Cambridge University, Sussex, London Country, and in 15 Test Matches for England. Ranji, the Jam Sahib of Nawanagar, continues to remain the spirit of the BCCI.
Individual records are threatened every year with players scoring and piling on runs in the longest format of the game. Hence, it becomes important to keep a track on the key records, facts and stats of Ranji Trophy.
In Conclusion
Right now, we are just a few days away from Ranji Trophy 2024. This premier domestic cricket championship will start from January 5th, 2024, and will continue for the next two months. Cricket fans can certainly expect non-stop cricketing action for the next 60-65 days in a row.
Not only the cricketing excitement, but every Ranji season gives us a new hero and cricket icon. Though the IPL has become much more popular and fan-frenzy among cricket lovers, the good old Ranji matches are still a sheer delight for fans who are more interested in watching a balanced contest between batsmen and bowlers, with the unlimited joy of watching one’s native state win.
But eventually, the Ranji Trophy is a long-haul battle, and only the best can ever win it.
Table of Contents
- Ranji Trophy’s History
- Who was Ranjitsinhji?
- Ranji Trophy Records: Key Records, Facts and Stats | 2023 Updated
- Highest Team Score in Ranji Trophy:
- Lowest Team Total Ranji Trophy:
- Most Runs in Ranji Trophy:
- Highest individual score in Ranji Trophy:
- Most Centuries in Ranji Trophy:
- Most Runs Scored In A Single Ranji Trophy Season:
- All-time Most Wickets in Ranji Trophy:
- All-time Best Bowling Figure in Ranji Trophy:
- Most wickets in a single season in Ranji Trophy:
Teams for this trophy are drawn or selected from regional and state cricket associations, with matches held in different stadiums and grounds across India.
At the time of the tournament’s foundation, it was named The Cricket Championship of India. However, it was renamed after the Jam Sahib of Nawanagar, Ranjitsinghi (in 1935): His Highness Colonel Shri Sir Ranjitsinhji Vibhaji II. He ruled Nawanagar (present-day Gujarat), a princely state during British times, from 1907 to 1933. As he was popularly known as Ranji, the tournament assumed this name.
The Ranji Trophy comprises 38 teams: 28 Indian states, four Union Territories, and two pan-India associations—Railways and Services. The remaining teams include Saurashtra (Kathiawar/Nawanagar), Vidarbha, Mumbai (Bombay), and Baroda.
Ranji Trophy’s History
When we delve into the history of the Ranji Trophy, we find that the first milestone for BCCI was created in 1927. Anthony Stanislaus de Mello, R.E. Grant Govan, and the Maharaja of Patiala deserve thanks, along with Arthur Gilligan, the Captain of the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), who was visiting India.At a meeting held in February 1927 at the Roshanara Club in Delhi, de Mello, Grant Govan, and the Maharaja of Patiala decided to form a Board. Gilligan pledged his support on behalf of the MCC.
Milestones in Ranji Trophy’s history:
November 22, 1927: The final decision to form the Board was taken at a meeting attended by representatives of various Princely states and provinces.December 1928: BCCI was founded at a meeting at Roshana Club in Delhi. Grant Govan became the (First) President, and de Mello became the Secretary.
1929: De Mello and Grant Govan went to England to organize tours of India by the South Africa team.
May 1929: De Mello and Grant Govan represented India at the Imperial Cricket Conference (England), making BCCI a global face.
1930-31: A tour of India by the MCC was organized. Note: Though both the India tours by South Africa and Australia were finally canceled, the run of the BCCI began successfully.
July 1934: BCCI proposed launching the competition during a meeting in Simla.
1934-35: The first BCCI fixtures took place under the banner of The Cricket Championship of India (which later changed to BCCI).
November 1934: The first match was held on November 4, 1934, at the Chepauk Stadium in Chennai (then Madras) between Madras and Mysore.
Who was Ranjitsinhji?
The trophy of the tournament was donated by the Maharaja of Patiala, Bhupinder Singh. The trophy, still running today, is in memory of His Highness Colonel Shri Sir Ranjitsinhji Vibhaji II, who died in 1933. Ranji, the Jam Sahib of Nawanagar, is considered the father of Indian cricket.Jam Sahib was the first-ever Maharaja of a State and also the first Indian to play at international cricket tournaments. As an unorthodox batsman, he developed his own style, which is still being replicated today by other cricketers in India.
Participating in international matches since 1893, Jam Sahib established himself as one of the greatest batsmen of his time. He distinguished himself in matches for Cambridge University, Sussex, London Country, and in 15 Test Matches for England. Ranji, the Jam Sahib of Nawanagar, continues to remain the spirit of the BCCI.
Ranji Trophy Records: Key Records, Facts and Stats | 2023 Updated
As every year, several teams battle it out for the penultimate glory in the Indian domestic cricket, several records are made and broken. From teams scoring highest score in an inning, to curtailing their opponent to the smallest total.Individual records are threatened every year with players scoring and piling on runs in the longest format of the game. Hence, it becomes important to keep a track on the key records, facts and stats of Ranji Trophy.
Highest Team Score in Ranji Trophy:
To this day, Hyderabad maintains the Ranji Trophy record for the highest team total in any match. During the 1993-94 Ranji season, Hyderabad, led by the then-captain Kanwaljit Singh, posted 944/6 against Andhra and declared the innings. Maturi Sridhar played a magnificent knock of 366 off 523 in the match and remained the top-scorer in this drawn encounter.| TEAM | AGAINST | TEAM TOTAL | RANJI TROPHY YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| HYDERABAD | ANDHRA PRADESH | 944/6 DECLARED | 1993-94 |
| TAMIL NADU (TN) | GOA | 912/6 DECLARED | 1988-89 |
| MADHYA PRADESH (MP) | KARNATAKA | 912/8 DECLARED | 1945-46 (PRE-INDEPENDENCE) |
Lowest Team Total Ranji Trophy:
The lowest team score was also recorded by Hyderabad. In November 2010, Rajasthan bowled out Hyderabad for just 21 runs. Owing to successful bowling by Deepak Chahar and his figures of eight for 10, Hyderabad was routed out, with no batsman managing to reach the double-figure mark.| Team | Against | Team Total | Ranji Trophy Year |
| Hyderabad | Rajasthan | 21 | 2010-11 |
| Southern Punjab | Northern Punjab | 22 | 1934-1935 (Pre Independence) |
| Sind | Southern Punjab | 23 | 1938-1939 (Pre Independence) |
| J&K (Jammu-Kashmir) | Delhi | 23 | 1960-61 |
| J&K (Jammu-Kashmir) | Haryana | 23 | 1977-78 |
Most Runs in Ranji Trophy:
Former Mumbai legend Wasim Jaffer has been the most prolific scorer in the history of the Ranji Trophy. He accumulated over 12,035 runs in Ranji matches over a career span of around 15 years in domestic cricket.| Player’s Name | Team/ Teams | Total Runs | Ranji Career Span |
| Wasim Jaffer | Vidarbha, Mumbai | 12,038 | 1996-2020 |
| Amol Muzumdar | Mumbai, Assam, Andhra | 9,205 | 1993-2014 |
| Devendra Bundela | Madhya Pradesh | 9201 | 1995-2017 |
Highest individual score in Ranji Trophy:
Despite more than 70 years having passed, Bhausaheb Babasaheb Nimbalkar’s 443* against Saurashtra for Mumbai is still a Ranji Trophy record and is yet to be broken. Next on the list is Prithvi Shaw, whose 379 against Assam while playing for Mumbai continues to be the second-highest individual score in the history of the Ranji Trophy.| Player’s Name | Team | Against | Individual Score | Ranji Trophy Year |
| B.B Nimbalkar | Maharashtra | Saurashtra | 443* | 1948-49 |
| Prithvi Shaw | Mumbai | Assam | 379 | 2022-23 |
| S Manjrekar | Bombay | Hyderabad | 377 | 1990-91 |
Most Centuries in Ranji Trophy:
When it comes to scoring the most hundreds, Wasim Jaffer tops the charts. Throughout his illustrious career in domestic cricket, the former Mumbai veteran reached the three-figure mark over 40 times.| Player’s Name | Team played for | No. of Centuries Scored | Career Span |
| Wasim Jaffer | Mumbai, Vidharbha | 40 | 1996-2020 |
| Ajay Sharma | HP, Delhi | 31 | 1984-2001 |
| Paras Dogra | HP, Puducherry | 29 | 2001-2022 |
Most Runs Scored In A Single Ranji Trophy Season:
Indian cricket legend VVS Laxman holds the record for scoring the most runs in a single Ranji season. In the Ranji season of 1999-2000, the former Indian batter scored 1415 runs in just five matches at an astonishing average of 109.| Player’s Name | Team played for | Runs Scored in a season | Ranji Trophy Season |
| VVS Laxman | Hyderabad | 1415 | 1999-2000 |
| Rahul Dalal | Arunachal Pradesh | 1,340 | 2019-2020 |
| Milind Kumar | Sikkim | 1,331 | 2018-2019 |
All-time Most Wickets in Ranji Trophy:
Rajinder Goel holds the record for the most wickets in Ranji matches. He played for numerous teams in his glorious 16-year-long career. Second on the list is spin legend Srinivasaraghavan Venkataraghavan, who later went on to become one of the famous umpires in world cricket.| Player’s Name | Team played for | Total Wickets | Ranji Trophy Season |
| Rajinder Goel | Patiala, Punjab, Haryana | 637 | 1958-1985 |
| Srinivasaraghavan Venkataraghavan | Madras/Tamil Nadu | 531 | 1963-1984 |
| Sunil Joshi | Karnataka | 479 | 1992-2010 |
All-time Best Bowling Figure in Ranji Trophy:
Bengal’s Premangsu Chatterjee holds the record for being the leading wicket taker in this premier tournament. His bowling figure of 10/20 is still a Ranji record. Second in the list is Pradeep Sunderam.| Player’s Name | Team played for | Best Bowling Figure | Ranji Trophy Season |
| Premangsu Chatterjee | Bengal | 10/20 | 1956-57 |
| Pradeep Sunderam | Rajasthan | 10/78 | 1985/86 |
| Ankeet Chavan | Mumbai | 9/23 | 2012-13 |
Most wickets in a single season in Ranji Trophy:
The credit for taking the most wickets in a single Ranji Season goes to Ashutosh Aman. He dismissed 68 batsmen during the Ranji season of 2018-2019, which is still a Ranji record.| Player’s Name | Team played for | Most Wickets Taken | Ranji Trophy Season |
| Ashutosh Aman | Bihar | 68 | 2018-19 |
| Jaydev Unadkat | Saurashtra | 67 | 2019-2020 |
| Bishan Singh Bedi | Delhi | 64 | 1974-1975 |
Right now, we are just a few days away from Ranji Trophy 2024. This premier domestic cricket championship will start from January 5th, 2024, and will continue for the next two months. Cricket fans can certainly expect non-stop cricketing action for the next 60-65 days in a row.
Not only the cricketing excitement, but every Ranji season gives us a new hero and cricket icon. Though the IPL has become much more popular and fan-frenzy among cricket lovers, the good old Ranji matches are still a sheer delight for fans who are more interested in watching a balanced contest between batsmen and bowlers, with the unlimited joy of watching one’s native state win.
But eventually, the Ranji Trophy is a long-haul battle, and only the best can ever win it.