Ranji Trophy 2026: Latest Match Results and Key Updates
January 17, 2026, finds the Ranji Trophy in full swing, with the domestic season's marquee first-class tournament delivering edge-of-the-seat drama across India's cricket heartlands. As the third round concludes amid unseasonal rains in the north and sweltering heat down south, teams jostle for early supremacy in the Elite Groups. Defending champions Vidarbha, led by the unflappable Karun Nair, sit atop Group A with three wins from three, but Mumbai's resurgence under Ajinkya Rahane's captaincy has injected fresh intrigue. With over 2.5 million spectators attending matches this phase—up 15% from 2025—the BCCI's push for live streaming on JioCinema has broadened the fanbase, especially among millennials tuning in for the next big IPL auction fodder. On this chilly Delhi morning, as stumps are drawn from Mohali to Mangalore, we unpack the latest results, breakout stars, and tactical twists shaping the 2026 narrative. In a format that forges Test hopes, the Ranji remains cricket's ultimate proving ground.
Season Snapshot: A Balanced Battle Amid Weather Woes
The 2026 Ranji Trophy kicked off December 1 with 38 teams divided into Elite (28 sides) and Plate (10) divisions, a structure honed post-2024's revamp to reward consistency. Elite Group A and B lead the charge, each with 14 teams playing a league-cum-knockout path to the final in late March at Wankhede Stadium. Umpiring standards have soared with DRS in all games—now mandatory—and pink-ball knockouts trialed in select ties. Weather, however, has been the uninvited guest: Northeast monsoons truncated two Group C fixtures, forcing reserve days, while Delhi's smog alerts paused play in the Capital.
Standings-wise, Vidarbha's 36 points from three victories underscore their depth, with Nair's 450 runs at 112.50 anchoring the batting. Saurashtra, runners-up in 2025, trail in Group B with 24 points, their spin duo of Dharmendra Jadeja and Yuvraj Chudasma claiming 35 wickets combined. Upsets abound: minnows Chhattisgarh stunned Tamil Nadu in Round 2, chasing 312 on a turning Chepauk track. Plate division sees Arunachal Pradesh's spirited run, but focus remains on Elite, where promotion spots beckon. BCCI selectors, scouting for the England tour, have notebooks full—expect surprises in the squad announcement February 1.
Round 3 Highlights: Mumbai's Grit Triumphs, Vidarbha Rolls On
Round 3, spanning January 10-13, served up classics. In Group A, Mumbai edged Kerala 7 wickets via an innings and 45 runs at St Xavier's College Ground, Kochi. Ajinkya Rahane's 28th first-class ton (142 off 210 balls) silenced doubters, his partnership with Shreyas Iyer (78) rescuing from 89/4. Left-arm spinner Tanush Kotian snared 6/78, his loopy flight dismantling Kerala's middle order. Captain Rahane, post-match, credited "hunger over hype," eyeing a top-two finish. Kerala, sans injured opener Rohan Kunnummal, slumped to their second loss, but allrounder Salman Nizar's 4/52 offered hope.
Vidarbha maintained their iron grip, thrashing Jammu & Kashmir by 10 wickets in Nagpur. Karun Nair's double (201 and 112*)—his first since 2018—flummoxed J&K's pacers, while Umesh Yadav's 5/42 in the second dig echoed his international prime. Chasing 156 in 45 overs, Dhruv Shorey and Atharva Taide knocked it off briskly. In Group B, Saurashtra clashed with Baroda in a Rajkot thriller, winning by 4 runs defending 289. Cheteshwar Pujara's marathon 178 (412 balls) wore down Baroda, but it was Arpit Vasavada's 4/56 that sealed it, his leg-spin foxing Shashank Singh (65). Baroda's Kedar Jadhav, in his swansong, notched 92 but fell short, his retirement drawing emotional tributes.
Group C's marquee was Karnataka vs. Andhra in Bengaluru. Mayank Agarwal's fluent 156 powered Karnataka to 456, but Andhra's Hanuma Vihari countered with 201*—his third double in Ranji—pushing the tie to a draw. Devdutt Padikkal's 112 on return from injury bolstered Karnataka's lead, their seamers—Vidyuth Latheesh and Abhishek Patil—grabbing 8 wickets. Elsewhere, Punjab outlasted Haryana 6 wickets in Mohali, Arshdeep Singh's 4/31 starring, while opener Prabhsimran Singh's 134 lit up the chase.
Standout Performances: Young Guns and Veteran Fire
Individual brilliance defined Round 3. Yashasvi Jaiswal, warming up for India A's tour, blazed 203 for Rajasthan vs. Services in Delhi—his off-drive vintage elegance—helping secure an innings win. At 23, his 650 runs this season (avg 81.25) scream red-ball readiness. Shubman Gill, captaining Gujarat, silenced critics with 167 vs. Goa, his cover drives purring on a lively Panjim pitch. Gill's 300-run stand with Priyank Panchal (112) set up a 9-wicket romp, Gujarat now third in Group D.
Veterans shone too: Wriddhiman Saha's gritty 189* salvaged Bengal from 45/5 vs. Tripura, steering a draw despite spinner Manisankar Murasingh's 7/112. In the women's parallel—Ranji's gender-integrated buzz—Harmanpreet Kaur's 132 for Mumbai Women vs. Baroda Women echoed her men's counterparts' drama. Bowling honors went to Saurashtra's Jaydev Unadkat, whose 6/89 vs. Baroda marked his 500th first-class wicket, a milestone celebrated with a guard of honor.
Plate division's hero? Meghalaya's Rajbans Singh, whose 8/102 vs. Nagaland earned promotion whispers. These tales underscore Ranji's alchemy: turning domestic grind into national gold.
Injury Woes and Tactical Twists
Injuries cast shadows: Delhi's Virat Kohli-lookalike Yash Dhull nursed a hamstring tweak vs. Uttar Pradesh, sidelining him for Round 4; UP's Akash Deep, the fast-bowling find, limped off with ankle strain after 3/45. Tamil Nadu's Sai Sudharsan, nursing a finger niggle, missed the Kerala clash, his 400+ runs missed sorely. Positively, Hyderabad's Tanmay Agarwal returned from concussion protocols, smashing 89 vs. Kerala in a losing cause.
Tactics evolved: Vidarbha's aggressive declaration (at 512/7) vs. J&K signaled a shift from defensive draws, while Mumbai trialed a 6-3-2 field for Kotian's spin, reaping dividends. BCCI's new ball-tracking tech, trialed in Nagpur, resolved three close calls, boosting umpire confidence. Weather adaptations shone—Karnataka's use of hybrid pitches in rain-hit Bengaluru minimized disruptions.
Points Table: The Elite Shake-Up
As of January 17, Group A leaders: Vidarbha (36 pts), Mumbai (27), Kerala (18). Draws cost points, with only 12 outright wins this round. Group B: Saurashtra (24), Baroda (21), Railways (18). Group C: Karnataka (25), Andhra (22), Punjab (19). Group D: Gujarat (28), Rajasthan (24), Goa (12). Bottom-feeders like Assam (3 pts) face relegation math, while Plate toppers Sikkim (30) eye Elite entry. Full table on BCCI.tv reflects bonus points' bite—batting (1 per 100 runs post-350) and bowling (0.1 per wicket post-10).
Road Ahead: Knockouts Beckon, Stars Align
With Round 4 (January 21-24) looming—highlights include Mumbai vs. Vidarbha in a Group A summit clash at Wankhede—the stakes escalate. Rain forecasts threaten northern ties, but southern venues promise batting feasts. Eyes on Jaiswal's ton hunt, Gill's captaincy, and Nair's quest for 1,000 runs. BCCI's Rs 50 crore prize purse, up 20%, incentivizes, while women's integration—shared venues in 10 states—grows the ecosystem.
In 2026's cricketing tapestry, Ranji Trophy isn't mere prelims; it's the forge where legends like Rahul Dravid (once a Ranji run-machine) were tempered. As fog lifts over Eden Gardens for Bengal's next, and dew settles in Dharamsala, the tournament pulses with promise. For fans nursing hangovers from last night's draws, it's a reminder: in first-class cricket, patience wins trophies. The race to the final intensifies—who'll lift the crown March 28? Only time, and a few more overs, will tell.
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