Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar has slammed the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for the scheduling of the Ranji Trophy, stating that the tournament’s importance is being diluted by pushing it around here and there to accommodate other tournaments. Under the current domestic calendar, the Ranji Trophy is divided into two phases, with the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and Vijay Hazare Trophy being played in between.

Gavaskar questioned whether such scheduling is appropriate for a tournament that has served as the pinnacle of Indian domestic cricket. India’s 2026-27 domestic season began with the Duleep Trophy that ended on Thursday. The one-off Irani Trophy match is slated to be played in the first week of October. The first phase of the Ranji Trophy Elite and Plate competitions will be held between October 11 and November 5. Then the attention will shift to SMAT and the VHT before the second phase of the Ranji Trophy gets underway on January 17, with the final to be played in March.

“How can a tournament be interrupted to accommodate a white-ball tournament?…The rhythm and momentum get destroyed. Why is the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy not played till the quarterfinal, then a break for a few weeks, and then the semifinals and final, as it happens with the Ranji Trophy? It won’t be done because the auction for the IPL happens pretty soon after the tournament," Gavaskar wrote in his column for Sportstar.

Gavaskar also suggested that the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, India’s domestic T20 competition, could be held at the beginning of the season in September. 

"They won’t forget the performers even if the auction happens a couple of months later," he asserted.

Gavaskar further pointed out the bigger problem within the administration. 

“In the old BCCI, there used to be a Technical Committee and a Fixtures Committee too. Experienced former players, umpires and administrators served on these committees, ensuring that cricket went smoothly. Something similar needs to be done, drawing on such experience and expertise. The Indian cricket ecosystem is slightly skewed at the moment, and this would help rebalance it,” Gavaskar stated.