MUMBAI: The sanctity of India’s premier domestic cricket tournament, the Ranji Trophy, has come under intense scrutiny, with legendary former captain and chief selector Dilip Vengsarkar launching a scathing critique of the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) scheduling practices. At the heart of the controversy is the decision to deploy an India ‘A’ squad for a shadow tour of New Zealand while the domestic first-class season is in full swing.
The India ‘A’ squad, captained by the promising wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel, is slated to compete in three four-day matches across Lincoln and Christchurch from October 24 to November 7. The tour is intended to serve as a preparation bridge for the senior team’s upcoming two-Test series in New Zealand. However, for Vengsarkar, the timing is not just an administrative oversight—it is a fundamental assault on the structure of Indian cricket.
Diluting the Domestic Gold Standard
“Why do you have an India A tour when the Ranji Trophy season is in progress? What’s the point of holding the Ranji Trophy then?” Vengsarkar questioned in a pointed statement to the media. The veteran of 116 Test matches did not mince words, labeling the concept of a “shadow tour” during the domestic window as “plain ridiculous.”
The central grievance held by the former selector is the immediate devaluation of individual performances. By pulling the top-tier talent out of the Ranji Trophy—often allowing them to participate in only the opening round of the premier tournament—the BCCI is effectively creating a talent vacuum at the state level.
“If your best domestic players are playing for India A during the Ranji Trophy, then performances of those who score runs and take wickets in the Ranji Trophy get devalued,” Vengsarkar explained. “It’s beyond me why these A tours are being organized during the domestic season.”
A Pattern of Scheduling Conflicts
This is not the first time Vengsarkar has challenged the BCCI’s scheduling philosophy. The current season has seen several instances where domestic prestige has been sacrificed for the sake of international preparation. The Irani Cup—the traditional curtain-raiser that pits the reigning Ranji Trophy champions against the Rest of India—suffered significantly this year. While the 2025-26 champions, Jammu & Kashmir, were fighting for the trophy, the tournament’s luster was dampened by the simultaneous staging of an India ‘A’ versus Australia ‘A’ series in Puducherry.
The clashes have become repetitive, creating a recurring narrative where the domestic calendar serves as an inconvenient obstacle rather than the primary foundation of the national team. The BCCI’s intent behind these shadow tours is clear: provide fringe players with vital exposure to overseas conditions and ensure a robust reserve pool should the senior squad face injury crises. However, critics argue that this “preparedness” comes at too high a cost to the competitiveness of domestic cricket.
The “Senior Team” Alternative
Vengsarkar offers a pragmatic, albeit disruptive, alternative to the current model. He contends that if the goal is truly to help players acclimatize to foreign conditions, the onus should lie with the senior touring party rather than the secondary squad.
“If you want your players to acclimatize early to the conditions and local environment, then send your main team early,” Vengsarkar argued. He pointed out the logical inconsistency in the current setup, noting that many players sent on these ‘A’ tours are ultimately not in contention for the Test squad that follows. “There’s no point sending players who are not even going to play in the Test series.”
The Future of Domestic Pathways
The debate touches on a larger philosophical divide in Indian cricket. For decades, the Ranji Trophy was the furnace in which international careers were forged. Greats like Vengsarkar himself relied on long, grueling domestic seasons to refine their technique against varied bowling attacks and conditions. As the game becomes increasingly globalized and commercialized, the focus has shifted toward “specialized preparation.”
By prioritizing these specialized tours, the BCCI risks turning the Ranji Trophy into a secondary audition, one where the most talented performers are consistently missing due to national obligations or “A” team commitments. For a player looking to break into the Test setup, the current system presents a catch-22: play in the Ranji Trophy and risk being overlooked for the specific “A” team exposure that the selectors value, or take the “A” team spot and risk losing the rhythm and match-hardened consistency that only a full first-class campaign can provide.
As the cricket board continues to navigate the complexities of international scheduling, the voices of legends like Vengsarkar serve as a reminder that the health of the national team is inextricably linked to the integrity of the domestic structure. Whether the BCCI will heed these warnings or continue down the path of shadow tours remains to be seen, but the friction between the two models is likely to intensify as the domestic season progresses. For now, the Ranji Trophy remains the backbone of the sport in India, even if that backbone is being stretched to its absolute limit by the demands of the modern international calendar.
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