Sunil Gavaskar has criticised the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s decision to divide the 2026-27 Ranji Trophy into two playing windows, saying the extended break could affect the rhythm and importance of first-class cricket.

The first leg of the tournament is scheduled to take place from October 11 to November 5, 2026. The competition will then pause for more than two months before resuming on January 17, 2027.

The Ranji Trophy final is scheduled for February 27, 2027. The calendar means the main first-class competition will be interrupted while other domestic tournaments are played during the gap.

Gavaskar questions the scheduling priority

Gavaskar said the schedule appeared to prioritise preparation for the Indian Premier League auction. His criticism centres on the possibility that the split calendar could reduce the continuity and prominence of the Ranji Trophy, India’s premier domestic first-class competition.

The 2026-27 schedule places the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy between November 14 and December 6. The Vijay Hazare Trophy is scheduled to run from November 24 to January 8, 2027, before the Ranji Trophy resumes.

The arrangement creates a calendar in which the three major domestic competitions are staged across successive or overlapping periods. Gavaskar’s comments reflect concern that the gap in the Ranji Trophy may disrupt the flow of the first-class season.

BCCI’s split-format explanation

The BCCI has used a divided Ranji Trophy format since the 2024-25 season. The board has cited difficult winter conditions in northern India as the reason for separating the competition into two parts.

Under the 2026-27 plan, the opening Ranji Trophy window will be completed before the limited-overs domestic tournaments take place. The first-class competition will then return in January, with the final scheduled for late February.

The decision therefore continues an approach already used by the BCCI rather than introducing a new format for the upcoming season. Gavaskar’s objection is focused on how the break affects the place of the Ranji Trophy in the domestic calendar and whether the schedule is being shaped around the IPL auction.

What happens next

The 2026-27 Ranji Trophy is scheduled to begin on October 11, 2026, and continue through its first window until November 5. After the planned break, matches are due to resume on January 17, 2027.

The Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and Vijay Hazare Trophy will be played during much of the intervening period. The Ranji Trophy final is set for February 27, 2027, completing a season structured around two separate first-class windows.