Ranji Trophy 2021-22: BCCI likely to stage knockout matches in Bengaluru

The 2021-22 edition of the Ranji Trophy witnessed some spectacular performances as well as record-shattering individual brilliance from some of the promising cricketers of India in the group stages. The eight best teams have made the knockouts that are set to be played after IPL 2022. Saurashtra who were the defending champions have been knocked out.

Meanwhile, it has been reported that all the knockout fixtures of the ongoing Ranji Trophy are likely to be held entirely in Bengaluru. However, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is yet to officially announce the decision. Madhya Pradesh, Bengal, Karnataka, Mumbai, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, and Jharkhand will be competing in the knockouts this time around.

According to Cricbuzz, the BCCI has decided to make this call “internally” considering the weather situation in Bengaluru in the month of June. At the same time, the call has also been taken by the national cricket board keeping in mind that the monsoon sets in the Karnataka capital only around July.

Ranji Trophy knockouts will be played from May 30 to June 26

The knockouts will feature seven matches-  quarterfinals, semifinals, and the final. The matches will be played immediately after the conclusion of the IPL 2022 i.e. from May 30 to June 26. This year’s Ranji Trophy was originally scheduled to get underway on January 13 but then had to be postponed by over a month due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 Omicron variant in the country.

There were doubts of Ranji Trophy getting cancelled again. But after the state cricket associations requested the BCCI, the board chalked out a different format and the tournament kicked off finally on February 17. With the title-holders Saurashtra not being around there long enough to defend their title, it now remains to be seen which of these eight teams will go all the way from hereon and be crowned the Ranji Trophy champions this year after a one-year hiatus since the 2019-20 edition.