BCCI officially calls off Ranji Trophy for the first time in 87 years due to COVID-19

The BCCI will not be conducting its premier first-class domestic tournament Ranji Trophy for the first time in 87 ...

By Lokmat English Desk | Published: January 30, 2021 01:49 PM2021-01-30T13:49:25+5:302021-01-30T13:50:31+5:30

BCCI officially calls off Ranji Trophy for the first time in 87 years due to COVID-19 | BCCI officially calls off Ranji Trophy for the first time in 87 years due to COVID-19

BCCI officially calls off Ranji Trophy for the first time in 87 years due to COVID-19

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The BCCI will not be conducting its premier first-class domestic tournament Ranji Trophy for the first time in 87 years owing to the COVOD-19 pandemic. However, the board has decide to hold the Vijay Hazare Trophy as per the wishes of majority of the state units. The BCCI will also host the U-19 National One Day tournament for the Vinoo Mankad Trophy and the Women's national 50-over tournament as per a letter sent by BCCI secretary Jay Shah to the state units.While BCCI president Sourav Ganguly and secretary Shah were keen to have the blue riband tournament that pays the maximum match fee (Rs 1.5 lakh per game approx) to the players, it is understood that a two-month-long bio-bubble even for a truncated two-phased Ranji Trophy in times of the Covid pandemic wasn't feasible.

"I am extremely happy to inform you that we are going to conduct the Senior Women's One Day tournament simultaneously with the Vijay Hazare Trophy and follow it up with Vinoo Mankad Trophy Under-19. This has been decided after having received your feedback on the domestic season 2020-21," Shah wrote a letter to state units, which is in possession of PTI. It is understood that the BCCI will probably follow the same groupings and bio-bubble for the Hazare Trophy that will start next month. "The preparations for the England tour of India which commences on February 5, are in full swing and there is a lot of excitement around it after the historic tour of Australia where, as you are aware, the team had performed miraculously under extremely trying circumstances," he said. The board had earlier reached out to state associations to reach a conscientious to pick between Ranji Trophy and Vijay Hazare Trophy as their preferred option. While there have been reports that BCCI President Sourav Ganguly was keen on hosting the Ranji Trophy, the board was struggling to find a window for the first-class tournament. With the Indian Premier League set to begin in April, only a two-month window is available for the BCCI to conduct the domestic tournaments.


 

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