Complete Guide On How To Play Ranji Trophy Cricket In India

Whether you are a professional cricket player or just a regular cricket fan, I am sure you have often thought about how you can play Ranji Trophy cricket in a country like India, where the competition is immense.

Playing in the Ranji Trophy can be challenging if you do not have enough knowledge about the selection process of domestic cricket in India.

However, if you believe you are a talented cricket player, you can follow this guide. If you are just a cricket fan wanting to know about this topic, you are also most welcome.

Before jumping into our topic, let me introduce myself. I am Dhruvv, a former state player who represented the Andhra Cricket Association from 2016-2019.

However, due to major injury concerns, I had to quit cricket. I have seen many youngsters from my age group playing in the Ranji Trophy, so I know what it takes to enter the Ranji Trophy based on my past experience in this field, and that’s what I am going to share with you today.

What Is Ranji Trophy Cricket?

It is a major tournament held every year in Indian domestic cricket between all the cricket association states of India. The name ‘Ranji Trophy’ came from the famous Indian cricketer Kumar Shri Ranjitsinhji, and the first match of this iconic tournament was played in 1934 between Madras and Mysore (now Chennai and Karnataka).

Why is the Ranji Trophy so popular in India?

The reason the Ranji Trophy is the most popular domestic cricket competition in India is because of its historic value and the benefits it offers to the players who get a chance to participate.

It serves as a gateway to the Indian cricket team and the IPL, as selectors are present at every Ranji Trophy match, scouting for new talent for Indian cricket.

Therefore, every young cricketer dreams of playing in the Ranji Trophy at least once in their career, as it increases their chances of advancing to the Indian team and the IPL.

Who wouldn’t want to play at that level? It’s obvious that the Ranji Trophy not only provides a stable cricketing career but also brings substantial money and fame to the players.

How can you play in the Ranji trophy?

---

1) Joining A Quality Cricket Academy

The first immediate step you need to take is to join a nearby cricket coaching academy. However, ensure that you choose one with quality cricket coaches, preferably someone who has played at least at the state level.

Without coaches who have professional playing experience, you cannot expect to receive quality coaching. Therefore, make sure to check the overall facilities and the quality of coaching at any cricket academy you consider joining.

If you are someone who already joined a good coaching for a while, then you should follow on to the next step.

2) Perfecting Cricket Fundamentals

I know nobody can become perfect in any profession, but we should always strive for perfection to reach close to our actual goal. Similarly, without having enough skill in your batting or bowling, you should not even think about competing at a level like the Ranji Trophy.

Your base and fundamentals of cricket should be absolutely strong. This includes the ability to play defense against pace and spin bowling, knowing how to drive the ball, and having run-scoring shots such as pull and cut shots in your game.

For bowlers, you need to perfect your run-up and constantly try to improve your arm speed to increase your bowling speed. Additionally, you must have the ability to bowl specific lines and lengths according to the situation of the game.

All these aspects form the foundation for any cricket player aiming to play at a higher level, like Ranji Trophy cricket. You should put continuous effort and hard work into mastering all these traits over several years.

Remember, if you are a beginner in cricket and think you will play Ranji Trophy cricket in only 2-3 years, you are delusional. It’s not a two-minute Maggi recipe; it takes time and years of hard work—at least 4-5 years—assuming you have considerable talent.

3) Playing District Level Cricket

The third step to playing Ranji Trophy cricket is aiming to play at your district level, whether it be under-14, under-16, or under-19, depending on your current age.

Once you join a cricket academy and feel confident about your cricket skills, you need to attend trials for the district cricket level where you currently live.

Cricket trials are similar to an audition for a movie where an actor shows his acting skills in order to be finalized for a movie. Similarly, as a batsman, you need to bat well, play some positive strokes, and demonstrate strong defense.

As a bowler, make sure to bowl with a good run-up and deliver good-length balls. Based on your performance in front of the selectors, they will decide whether you are good enough to play at the district level.

Once your name appears on the district cricket selection list, the rest depends on your talent and skills. You will have to play multiple cricket matches against different districts in your state and score significant runs.

If you score a fifty or a century, congratulations—your path to the Ranji Trophy opens further. When you play big innings in district cricket, your performance will be noticed by the selectors, who may suggest your name for state probables.

What Is State Probables?

You might wonder, what is State Probables cricket? Whenever you hear the word ‘probables,’ remember it is a trial process where the top performers from district cricket in a state come together to play some matches.

If your performance is impressive in these probables matches, you may get a chance to play in the state team.

Therefore, your performance in district matches is crucial because it is a gateway for you to enter state-level cricket, where you will get a chance to represent your respective state in India. For example, if you are from Rajasthan, you will get to represent Rajasthan in state matches.

4) Performing In State Matches

Once you enter state-level cricket, you will play multiple matches against other states of India, typically around 5-8 games (though this can vary by state).

In all the matches you play at the state level, your absolute focus should be on scoring century after century if you are a batsman, and taking continuous 5-wicket hauls if you are a bowler.

Overall, you should be in beast mode, impressing the selectors who come to watch the state matches in search of potential Ranji Trophy players.

After playing all the state matches, your name will be announced in the Ranji Probables based on your performance.

5) Clearing Ranji Trophy Probables

The final step on how to play Ranji Trophy cricket is actually a bit easy compared to other selection processes. After giving some amazing performances with bat or ball, you will be picked for Ranji Trophy Probables matches, which are just a small trial process before you get your Ranji Trophy team call.

All you have to do in Ranji Probables is to play how you played in the state matches. There are very few chances for a player to play Ranji probables and not play Ranji Trophy, so you just need to play and showcase your natural game when you get a chance to play Ranji Probables matches.

In those probables matches, even if you score a solid 40-50 runs with good intent, you are good to go for playing for the Ranji Team of your state.

---

Final Words

This is the complete roadmap you’ll ever need to play in the Ranji Trophy cricket tournament. However, you must be aware that it’s a lengthy process requiring patience and consistent hard work towards cricket. But if you truly believe in your core self, then trust me, playing Ranji Trophy is not an insurmountable task for a talented cricketer.