Reports: BCCI exploring options to restart India's pandemic-hit domestic season

Earlier this month, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had officially announced the postponement of India’s upcoming domestic cricketing season in the wake of the rising COVID-19 cases in the country.

However, as per the recent turn of events, the BCCI office-bearers recently met and discussed possible options to restart the domestic season in India. Apart from the 2021-22 Ranji Trophy, the BCCI had also decided to postpone the Col. C K Nayudu Trophy and the Senior Women’s T20 League due to the pandemic.

According to reports in Cricbuzz, “the office-bearers’ meeting was called following representations from many a state association, which wanted the prestigious Ranji Trophy to commence with immediate effect.”

The report also states that as per the “suggestions made by the state affiliates, the ongoing Ranji season can be scheduled in such a way that it can organized on either side of the 15th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) which needs a free window in summer i.e. April May.”

Nothing concrete has been decided yet: BCCI source

At the same time, a BCCI source has also made it clear that while there were initial discussions to restart the new season but, nothing has been officially decided as of now.

“There were initial discussions and the overriding sentiments are for us to restart the season. Nothing concrete has been decided yet, but yes, the board will see if the Ranji season can be revived,” the source was quoted as saying.

The 2021/22 Ranji Trophy season was originally scheduled to get underway on January 13. However, just nine days before the tournament, the BCCI decided to postpone it indefinitely along with two other domestic leagues. As per BCCI’s contingency plans, since the IPL 2022 is scheduled to take place from March end to the last week of May, the league games of the upcoming Ranji season could start in February and run till mid-March with the knockouts being staged in June-July.

The previous edition of the iconic competition had to be cancelled due to the global pandemic while Saurashtra beat Gujarat to win their maiden title in the 2019/20 season.