Ranji Trophy 2024: Everything you need to know
The 2024 edition of the Ranji Trophy commences on January 5. The premium domestic tournament will be played over a 10-week long interval. Veteran Ajinkya Rahane will captain 41-time winners Mumbai. The likes of Mayank Agarwal and Cheteshwar Pujara will make their presence felt as well. Reigning champions Saurashtra will look to defend their crown. Here are further details.
A look at the format
38 participating teams have been divided into two groups - Elite and Plate, meaning there will be two separate winners. The Elite group comprises four groups (A-D) of eight teams each. Meanwhile, the Plate group will feature a total of six teams. In the league stage, each side will play one game apiece against the teams in its designated group.
Details of the knock-out game
The top two sides from Elite groups will play the quarter-finals after a league stage comprising an equal number of home and away games. In Plate, each team plays the other five, with the top four reaching the semi-finals. The bottom two sides will partake in a playoff for the fifth and sixth. There will also be a playoff for the third and fourth.
Plate finalists to be promoted to the Elite group
The two Plate finalists will be promoted to the Elite Group for the 2024-25 season. Meanwhile, the bottom two sides of each of the four Elite groups combined will be relegated once their points and quotient are factored in. Bihar and Manipur were the Plate finalists last season. They have been placed in Elite Group B and Elite Group A for the upcoming season.
Here is how the points will be divided
While the winning team will get six points, an additional point will be given for innings victory. Both teams will be awarded three points apiece in case of a tie. Teams losing despite the first-innings lead will also be given three points. Teams losing on the basis of first-innings lead will earn a solitary point. No point will be given for an outright loss.
Key players to watch out for
Rahane has slammed 13,011 FC runs at 46.97. 21-year-old Tilak Varma will lead Hyderabad in the upcoming season. Mumbai's Sarfaraz Khan has been stellar in FC cricket, amassing 3,657 at a stellar average of 71.70. Pujara is closing in on 20,000 FC runs (19,569). He averages over 51 in the format. Jaydev Unadkat needs seven scalps to complete 400 FC wickets.
