The Ranji Trophy 2022-23 has commenced on 13th December 2022 and is slated to wrap up on 20th February 2023. This domestic first-class cricket series was initiated by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and named in honor of India’s inaugural test cricketer, Ranjitsinhji.
About the Ranji Trophy
Known as the ‘Father of Indian Cricket,’ Ranjitsinhji interestingly never played for India, but for England and Sussex. The series, chiefly regional, was announced in 1934, with the first matches taking place during the 1934-35 season. Maharaja Bhupinder Singh of Patiala donated the trophy. With time, the Ranji Trophy has become increasingly popular and has earned a status similar to county cricket in England.
Distinguishing Features and Current Edition
One distinctive aspect of the Ranji Trophy is that, besides various state cricket boards, government teams like the Railways team, among others linked to government enterprises, also participate. The 2022-23 Ranji Trophy will see a total of 135 matches played by 32 teams divided into four groups. The 2021-22 edition was won by Madhya Pradesh.
Other Domestic Cricket Tournaments
Beside Ranji Trophy, numerous other domestic cricket tournaments are held. These include the Duleep Trophy, a first-class cricket contest named after Kumar Shri Duleepsinhji of Nawanagar, and the Vijay Hazare Trophy, a limited overs competition named after prominent Indian batsman Vijay Hazare. There’s also the Deodhar Trophy, an annual List-A fifty-over competition which started in the 1973-74 season, the Irani Cup, introduced to celebrate 25 years of the Ranji Trophy Championship and named after late Z R Irani, and the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy named after the eminent Indian cricketer.
UPSC Exam Questions about Cricket
In the UPSC Civil Services Examination, questions have been asked related to cricket tournaments. An example is the previous year’s question about the ICC World Test Championship, which started on 4 August 2021 and will conclude on 31 March 2023.
Revamped Point System in ICC
The ICC announced a revised points system in 2020, stating that the finalists would be chosen based on the percentage of points earned. This allows comparison of team performance at any point in time, ensuring that match or series cancellations don’t impact the points table. New Zealand was the first team to qualify for the inaugural final, leading England due to its ratings.
