Countries | India |
---|---|
Administrator | BCCI |
Format | First-class cricket |
First tournament | 1934 |
Tournament format | Round-robin then knockout |
Number of teams | 28 |
Current champion | Gujarat (1st title) |
Most successful | Mumbai (41 titles) |
Qualification | Irani Cup |
Most runs |
Wasim Jaffer (10143) 1996-present |
Most wickets |
Rajinder Goel (640) 1958–1985 |
2016–17 Ranji Trophy |
The Ranji Trophy is a domestic first-class cricket championship played in India between teams representing regional cricket associations. The competition currently consists of 27 teams, with 21 of the 29 states in India and Delhi (which is a Union Territory), having at least one representation. The competition is named after first Indian cricketer who played international cricket, Ranjitsinhji, who was also known as "Ranji". He played for England and Sussex. Gujarat is the current Ranji Trophy champion, having beaten Mumbai by 5 wickets in the final of the 2016–17 season held in Holkar Stadium, Indore.
The competition was launched as "The Cricket Championship of India" following a meeting of the Board of Control for Cricket in India in July 1934, with the first fixtures taking place in 1934–35. The trophy was donated by Maharaja Bhupinder Singh of Patiala. The first match of the competition was held on 4 November 1934 between Madras and Mysore at Chepauk.M. J. Gopalan of Madras bowled the first ball to N. Curtis. The first Ranji Trophy Championship was won by Bombay after they defeated North India in the final. Mumbai (formerly Bombay) have won the tournament the most number of times with 41 wins including 15 back-to-back wins from 1958–59 to 1972–73.
State teams and cricket associations and clubs with first-class status are qualified to play in the Ranji Trophy. While most associations are regional, like the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association and Mumbai Cricket Association, two, Railways and Services, are pan-Indian