The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Saturday announced the return of Domestic Cricket in India, for the upcoming 2021-22 season. With the Indian board cancelling a few tournaments last season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, it aims to conduct a full-fledged season in the 2021-22 calendar.

BCCI planning to host more than 2000 domestic matches between September & March (2021-2022)

According to a recent release by the Board of Control for Cricket in India, the season will commence on September 21, 2021. The domestic season will begin with the Senior Women's One Day League. It will be followed by the Senior Women's One Day Challenger Trophy, which will take place from October 27, 2021.

Also Read: Every injured cricketer will now need fitness clearance from NCA

Ranji Trophy to return after 18-month hiatus

What comes as a major relief is the return of the Ranji Trophy. However, finally, the premier four-day competition will return after an 18-month long hiatus. Notably, the tournament was called off due to logistical complications owing to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, this season, it will be conducted in a three-month window from 16th November 2021 to 19th February 2022.

However, Along with the coveted Ranji Trophy, BCCI is planning to kickstart with the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy from October 20, 2021, with the final to be played on November 12, 2021. Also, The season will end with the Vijay Hazare Trophy being played from February 23, 2022, to March 26, 2022.

Read Also: Most Wickets in T20 cricket across all competitions

Notably, a total of 2127 domestic games will be played this season across various age groups in the men's & women's categories. However, The BCCI is confident of hosting the domestic season with the health and safety of players and all people involved being paramount.

Ranji Trophy is an annual domestic first-class cricket competition organized by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and played between the country's state and regional cricket associations.

Also Read: Ranji Trophy winners since 1934-35 season

The premier domestic competition named after the first Indian cricketer, Ranjitsinhji, who was also known as 'Ranji', was launched in 1934-35 featuring 15 teams in four zones in a knockout format and has since expanded to a 32-team tournament in the league and knockout format.

The first-ever edition was won by Bombay now known as Mumbai, who have also won the Ranji title the most. Record champions Mumbai have won the Ranji Trophy 41 times so far. Mumbai has also reached the final 47 times.

Karnataka earlier played as Mysore is the second most successful team in the Ranji Trophy, having won the title 8 times and finished runners up 6 times followed by Delhi, who have won the title 7 times and finished as runners-up 8 times.

The Ranji Trophy 2024-25 has finally concluded with Vidarbha winning their third Ranji title defeating Kerala in the finals. Let's check out the last 10 winners of the Ranji title.

Read Also: Most Wickets in a Ranji Trophy Season

Last 10 winners of the Ranji Trophy

N.B: Last Updated on 03/03/2025.

Ranji Trophy, the Premier Division Tournament in Indian domestic cricket has given future stars of Indian cricket over the years. Domestic players prove themselves in the Ranji Trophy as best in the country, before announcing themselves on the world stage.

Today, we will discuss the players who have taken the most wickets in a Ranji Trophy season to cement their place in the history of Indian domestic cricket. Ashutosh Aman of Bihar has the record for most wickets taken in a single Ranji season currently.

Most Wickets in a Ranji Trophy Season

10. Sai Kishore | 53 wickets

Tamil Nadu left-arm spinner Sai Kishore took 53 wickets in a single season in 2023-24 and listed himself in the record books. He became the first Tamil Nadu bowler to take more than fifty wickets in a Ranji Season.

Sai Kishore took a total of 53 wickets in 9 matches at an average of 18.52 including 3 five-wicket hauls. Despite his heroics with the ball, Tamil Nadu fell short against Mumbai in the semi-finals that season. 

Read Also | Bengal Ranji Team in Last Three Seasons: 13 opening combinations, 22 debutants and many more numbers

9. Gurinder Singh | 53 wickets

Playing for Meghalaya, left-arm spinner Gurinder Singh took 53 wickets in just 8 matches to finish as the second-highest wicket-taker of the 2018/19 Ranji Trophy season. Gurinder created the record in the plate group of the tournament. 

Gurinder's splendid season with the ball included 5 five-wicket hauls and one 10-wicket haul in a match as well. The spin-bowling all-rounder started his career with Tripura and played for Punjab, Meghalaya and Chandigarh as well.

8. Aditya Sarwate | 55 wickets

Aditya Sarwate, the left-arm spinner from Vidarbha listed himself among the bowlers with the most wickets in a single season in 2018/19 when he picked up 55 wickets in 11 matches. 

Sarwate at that time was the only Vidarbha bowler to pick up more than 50 wickets in a single Ranji Trophy season. He picked up 11 wickets in the 2018/19 Ranji Trophy final as Vidarbha defeated Saurashtra to become the sixth team in history to defend a Ranji Trophy title. 

Sarwate currently is playing for Kerala.

Read Also | Bengal Cricket: 7 U-19 cricketers from Bengal who can play for India in future

7. Sanjay Yadav | 55 wickets

Another left-arm in the list, Sanjay Yadav took 55 wickets in the 2019/20 season playing for Meghalaya in the plate group. Though Meghalaya failed to reach the knock-out stage of the tournament, Sanjay made a name for himself with five 5-wicket hauls and 3 ten-wicket hauls in the season. 

6. Shahbaz Nadeem | 56 wickets

Shahbaz Nadeem is one of the renowned names in Indian domestic cricket's history with 542 first-class wickets to his name. Playing for his state Jharkhand, Nadeem picked up 56 wickets in 10 games in the 2016/17 season at an average of 25.60. 

The left-arm spinner's incredible season with the ball included four 5-wicket hauls and 2 ten-wicket hauls in a match. Despite his incredible season, Jharkhand could not reach the final as Jasprit Bumrah's 6-wicket haul helped Gujarat defeat them in the semis. 

Nadeem himself also had taken a five-wicket haul in the semi-final.

Read Also | Most runs in Ranji Trophy in a single season

5. Dharmendrasinh Jadeja | 59 wickets

Saurashtra's Dharmendrasinh Jadeja outshined everyone with a record-breaking 59 wickets in the 2018-19 Ranji trophy season. He then was the highest wicket-taker for Saurashtra in a single season of Ranji Trophy, which was later broken by Jaydev Unadkat. 

In 11 games that season Jadeja averaged 27.16 and took five 5-wicket hauls including one 10-wicket haul in a match. Despite Jadeja's six-wicket haul, Saurashtra lost the final at the hands of Vidarbha. 

4. Kanwaljit Singh | 59 wickets

Hyderabad's off-spinner Kanwaljit Singh had set the record for most wickets in a Ranji Trophy season in 1999/00 season which lasted till 2018-19 when Ashutosh Aman of Bihar broke that record. 

Kanwaljit took 59 wickets in 11 matches to set the record. He averaged 24.06 with the ball and had taken 4 five-wicket hauls alongside two 10-wicket hauls. The off-spinner retired after taking 369 first-class wickets and was one of the unluckiest off-spinners to not have played for India during his era.

3. Harsh Dubey | 66*

Harsh Dubey, the Vidarbha all-rounder has already listed himself among the greats of Indian domestic cricket only in his third season. The left-arm spinner has already taken 66 wickets in the 2024-25 season and will have a chance to break the overall record in the ongoing final between Kerala and Vidarbha. 

In 10 matches till now Dubey has taken 66 wickets at an average of 16.81. His 7 five-wicket haul in his season is also the joint-highest in Elite group history. Dubey also has taken two 10-wicket hauls this season. 

2. Jaydev Unadkat | 67

Jaydev Unadkat in the 2019-20 season broke multiple records as he led Saurasthra to their maiden Ranji Trophy title. The left-arm seamer became the first and still only pacer to take more than 60 wickets in a Ranji Trophy season. 

Not only that in that record breaking season he became the bowler to take most wickets in a Ranji season in elite groups. Undakat took 67 wickets in 11 games at an average of 13.23. His 7 five-wicket hauls is still a record in elite group. He also took 3 ten-wicket hauls that season. 

1. Ashutosh Aman | 68 wickets

Bihar's Ashutosh Aman still holds the record for most wickets in a single Ranji Trophy season, which he achieved in 2018/19 season. 

The left-arm spinner took 68 wickets in just 8 plate group games at an incredible average of 6.48 runs per wicket. Aman took 9 five-wicket hauls that season, which is also a Ranji Trophy record. His five 10-wicket haul is also a record in Indian domestic cricket. 

Virat Kohli is making his return to domestic cricket after 12 long years. The question which is booming around the internet is will the match be streamed LIVE?

Yes, Virat Kohli’s highly anticipated comeback in the Ranji Trophy will be streamed LIVE! Initially, the Delhi vs Railways Ranji Trophy 2024-25 match wasn’t on the broadcast schedule, but keeping the stature of the match in mind, BCCI and JioCinema have stepped in to stream the match LIVE.

Match Details:

• Match: Delhi vs Railways
• Date: January 30, 2025
• Venue: Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi
• Live Streaming: JioCinema

A Grand Return After 12 Years

It has been over a decade since Kohli last played in the Ranji Trophy. His last appearance dates back to the 2012-13 season, making this return a nostalgic moment for fans and a significant boost for domestic cricket.

Given his stature in world cricket, this match could also be the last time Kohli plays a domestic game, adding to the excitement and emotions surrounding his return.

DDCA has announced that 10000 fans will be allowed at the stadium for free with first come first serve basis.

Read Also | Ranji Trophy 2024-25: What happened when Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant, Rohit Sharma played Ranji Trophy games last time?

Other Matches to Be Streamed LIVE

Apart from Kohli’s match, three other key Ranji Trophy matches will also be streamed live on JioCinema:

• Bengal vs Punjab
• Karnataka vs Haryana
• Baroda vs Jammu & Kashmir

Why This Match is Special?

This is more than just a Ranji Trophy fixture for the fans. Kohli’s return could attract record-breaking viewership for domestic cricket, something rarely seen outside of IPL or international matches.

Moreover, Kohli, who has struggled for runs, will look to score some runs ahead of the Champions Trophy 2025 to get himself ready. With Rohit Sharma, Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal failing to score runs in their return to domestic cricket, it will be interesting to see how Kohli goes about his business.

Haryana is the latest entrant on the Vijay Hazare Trophy past winners list as they defeated Rajasthan in the 2023-24 season of the limited-overs domestic tournament of Indian cricket. 

Also Read: Most runs in Vijay Hazare Trophy history

Starting in the 2002-03 season, the Vijay Hazare Trophy, named after the legendary Indian cricketer, has been won by 11 different teams so far with Tamil Nadu winning it the most number of times (five).

Let's take a look at the Vijay Hazare Trophy past winners. 

Vijay Hazare Trophy | One of the most leading domestic tournament 

Just like Ranji Trophy and the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, Vijay Hazare Trophy is also a domestic tournament organised annually by the BCCI. 

All the teams that participate in Ranji Trophy participate in this tournament as well.

Because of this tournament, white ball cricketers from respective states get a platform to showcase their abilities. 

It helps in segregating the best amongst the best. The players who perform well in these matches get a call for further selection in Zonal Cricket Association, National Cricket Academy (NCA), IPL, India A etc. 

Hence, it is a stepping stone in their journey to represent the county.

Vijay Hazare Trophy, earlier called Ranji One Day Trophy

The Vijay Hazare Trophy was earlier called the Ranji One Day Trophy and it was played at the zonal level instead of the state level.

The first edition of this tournament was played in 1993-94 and since then it has played a vital part in the BCCI domestic structure.

This competition was renamed to the Vijay Hazare Trophy in 2007, named after an esteemed cricketer, Vijay Samuel Hazare. 

He captained India in 14 matches between 1951 and 1953, leading India to its first test win in 1951 against England at Madras. 

He scored 2192 runs in 30 games, at an astonishing batting average of 47.65. 

Vijay Hazare Trophy | Format 

The Vijay Hazare Trophy is a 50 over tournament that follows a round-robin format in the group stage, leading to knockout rounds. 

The tournament is divided into several groups, and the top two teams from each group go against each other in the knockout stages. 

In total, 38 teams participate, reflecting the broad representation of Indian domestic cricket.

Vijay Hazare Trophy Past Winners

Tamil Nadu, most successful team of VHT

Tamil Nadu, the inaugural champions, have won five titles, the most in Vijay Hazare Trophy history. 

Karnataka and Mumbai are joint-second with four titles. Meanwhile, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu are the only teams to have lifted two trophies on the bounce.

The trophy was shared by Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh in the 2004-05 season.  

Bengal have finished runner-up five times, the most in the competition.

Bengal, Railways, Delhi, Jharkhand, Gujarat, and Himachal Pradesh have all won the title once each.

14-year-old Ira Jadhav creates history in Women's Cricket. Cricket in India has always been a source of pride and inspiration, and now a new name has materialized to carry that legacy forward 14-year-old Ira Jadhav. The Maharashtrian young cricketing prodigy has notched her name in history by achieving extraordinary records in one breathtaking innings.

In a recent match during BCCI's limited-over tournament, Ira becomes the first Indian woman to score a triple-century. Ira scored an unbeaten 346 runs in just 157 balls to carry Mumbai to 563 for 3 against Meghalaya in Alur cricket in Bangalore on Sunday. The record holder smashed 42 fours and 16 sixes with a strike rate of 220.38 in the Women's U-19 One Day trophy.

Ira Jadhav opened the innings for Mumbai. She made a partnership of 274 runs for the second wicket with the help of Hurley Gala, the captain of the team, who made 116 off 79 balls. Ira contributed with149 runs in this partnership. Another huge partnership was shared between Diksha Pawar and Ira Jadhav forged an unbeaten partnership of 186 runs, with Diksha contributing 39 runs and Ira chipping in with 137 runs.

Ira Jadhav's record-breaking triple century is not just a statistical milestone; it stands as a signal of possibility- proof that sports empower greatness. With her historic knockout, Ira craved her name in the notebook of the history. She ignited hope and inspiration in millions of hearts. At just 14, she has shown that the future of Indian Cricket is shining brightly.