Ranji Trophy to be held in two phases, knockouts in June: Jay Shah

Last season, Ranji Trophy was not held due to the Covid-19 pandemic

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Jay Shah on Friday said that the Ranji Trophy this season would be held in two phases, in which all the league-stage games would be held in the first phase.

"The Board has decided to conduct the Ranji Trophy this season in two phases. In the first phase, we plan to complete all matches of the league stage while the knockouts will be held in June. My team is working closely to mitigate any kind of health risk caused by the pandemic, while at the same time ensuring a highly competitive red-ball cricket contest," Jay Shah said in an official statement.

"Ranji Trophy is our most prestigious domestic competition, which has been providing Indian Cricket with an enviable talent pool every year. It is absolutely important that we take all necessary steps to safeguard the interest of this premier event," he added.

Earlier, former Team India head coach Ravi Shastri on Friday said that the Ranji Trophy is the backbone of Indian cricket and the premier domestic red-ball tournament should not be ignored.

"The Ranji Trophy is the backbone of Indian cricket. The moment you start ignoring it, our cricket will be SPINELESS," tweeted Shastri.

On January 4, the BCCI had postponed the Ranji Trophy due to rising COVID-19 cases in the country. The Ranji Trophy and Col CK Nayudu Trophy were scheduled to begin in January this year.

Last season as well, Ranji Trophy was not held due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 will get underway in March end and the tournament will get over in May, BCCI secretary Jay Shah had earlier confirmed.