The BCCI sent its Test core back into domestic action for the 2026-27 Ranji Trophy opener, and the scoreboard tells a story of stark contrasts. While the top order looked rusty, one all-rounder refused to go quiet. Ravindra Jadeja, playing for Saurashtra against Chhattisgarh, anchored the innings with a gritty 102 off 209 balls at No. 5. He didn’t stop there, claiming 3/40 in 17 overs to seal the narrative of a dominant performance.
The batters, however, had a rough day at the office. KL Rahul, India’s Test vice-captain, was reduced to a shadow of his international self, managing just four runs in the first innings and one in the second for Karnataka against Andhra Pradesh. Yashasvi Jaiswal fared no better, dismissed for a duck off 13 balls by Jagjit Singh for Mumbai against Chandigarh. Even Sarfaraz Khan, also in the Mumbai lineup, could only scrape a single run from six balls. Sai Sudharsan’s stint for Tamil Nadu against Rajasthan lasted a mere 10 balls, as Chetan Sharma bowled him for three.
The bowling attack showed more promise, though not uniformly. Mohammed Siraj led Hyderabad to a comfortable victory over Tripura, taking 2/19 in the second innings after a wicketless first spell. Washington Sundar, pulled from the T20I squad for this duty, contributed 2 wickets and an unbeaten 26 for Tamil Nadu. Gurnoor Brar chipped in with 2/85 for Punjab, while Mohammed Shami grabbed four wickets for Bengal against Delhi.
Not everyone got a chance to shine. Shubman Gill and Dhruv Jurel sat out for Punjab and Uttar Pradesh, respectively. Rishabh Pant missed Delhi’s match due to injury, and Devdutt Padikkal was tied up with India A. For the squad preparing for New Zealand, the message is clear: the domestic circuit isn’t a vacation, and form must be earned, not assumed.