Ranji Trophy cancelled for first time in 87 years due to COVID-19 pandemic

The Board of Cricket Control
in India (BCCI) will not be organising Ranji Trophy, the first-class cricket tournament,
in 2021, opting instead for the Vijay Hazare Trophy, as per the wish of a
majority of state cricket units and marking the first such instance in 87 years,
PTI reported.

The overseeing body
in India would, however, be hosting Under-19 national ODI tournament for the
Vinoo Mankad trophy as well as the Women’s National 50-overs Tournament, as per
a letter by Secretary Jay Shah to state units.

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“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,” PTI quoted Shah as saying
in a letter to the state units.

The Secretary also reiterated
in the letter how difficult it was to plan the domestic calendar for the season,
taking into account the COVID-19 situation in the country.

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“As you are
aware, we have lost a lot of time and consequently, it has been difficult to
plan the cricket calendar on account of the precautions that are necessary for
the safe conduct of the games,” he wrote.

Reportedly, it was
decided in BCCI’s Annual General Meeting in late 2020 that the players would be
compensated in case of a truncated Ranji Trophy season. In the complete of
absence of one, it is expected that the board would devise a mechanism to
ensure financial safeguarding of the domestic cricketers in the country.