Sports · Cricket · 2 hrs ago
Vengsarkar questions India A tour during Ranji Trophy season
Former India captain Dilip Vengsarkar has criticised the BCCI for scheduling an India A tour of New Zealand during the 2026-27 Ranji Trophy season.
The 15-player squad, led by Dhruv Jurel, is due to play three four-day matches in Lincoln and Christchurch from October 24 to November 7.
The tour is planned ahead of India’s two-Test series in New Zealand.
Shadow tours are meant to help reserve players prepare for overseas conditions before the senior team arrives.
Vengsarkar says these tours take attention away from the Ranji Trophy, India’s premier domestic tournament.
He argues that strong performances by players who stay in the domestic competition may be undervalued when leading players leave for India A. The tour is scheduled to go ahead, while Vengsarkar says the senior team should travel early instead if acclimatisation is needed.
Former India captain Dilip Vengsarkar criticised the BCCI for scheduling an India A tour of New Zealand during the 2026-27 Ranji Trophy season.
He said the tour could reduce the importance of India’s premier domestic tournament and devalue Ranji Trophy performances.
A 15-member India A squad led by Dhruv Jurel is scheduled to play three four-day matches in New Zealand from October 24 to November 7.
The tour is intended to help reserve players prepare for overseas conditions ahead of India’s two-Test series in New Zealand.
Vengsarkar argued that the senior team should travel early instead of sending players who may not feature in the Tests.
- Who
- Former India captain Dilip Vengsarkar criticised the BCCI’s scheduling of the India A tour.
- What
- India A is scheduled to tour New Zealand for three four-day matches during the Ranji Trophy season.
- When
- October 24 to November 7, during the 2026-27 Ranji Trophy season.
- Where
- Lincoln and Christchurch, New Zealand.
- Why
- The BCCI introduced shadow tours to help fringe players prepare for overseas conditions and provide ready reserves. Vengsarkar said the timing undermines the domestic tournament.
Dilip Vengsarkar
BCCI
Scheduling
Dilip Vengsarkar
Vengsarkar said holding an India A tour during the Ranji Trophy season dilutes the importance of the domestic tournament.
BCCI
The BCCI introduced shadow tours to help fringe players get used to overseas conditions before the senior team’s assignment.
Preparation
Dilip Vengsarkar
Vengsarkar said the main team should travel early to acclimatise, rather than sending players who may not play in the Tests.
BCCI
The BCCI’s stated rationale is to prepare reserve players for overseas conditions and ensure they are ready if required.
Why do you have an India A tour when the Ranji Trophy season is in progress? What’s the point of holding the Ranji Trophy then?
This idea of having a shadow tour when your own domestic season is on is plain ridiculous because you are diluting the importance of your premier domestic tournament.
If your best domestic players are playing for India A during the Ranji Trophy, then performances of those who score runs and take wickets in the Ranji Trophy get devalued.
There’s no point sending players who are not even going to play in the Test series.
The opening round is scheduled to clash with an India A one-day series against Australia A.
India A is scheduled to play three four-day matches in Lincoln and Christchurch before India’s two-Test series in New Zealand.
- India A squad
- 15 members, led by Dhruv Jurel
- New Zealand tour
- Three four-day matches
- Tour dates
- October 24-November 7
- Tour venues
- Lincoln and Christchurch
- India series
- Two Tests in New Zealand
Sources
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