Sunil Gavaskar questions BCCI’s Ranji Trophy scheduling, calls for more cricketing expertise

Gavaskar Takes Aim at BCCI Ranji Scheduling—Calls It a "Crown Jewel" Being Played Second Fiddle

Sunil Gavaskar isn't mincing words, and he's pointing straight at BCCI's calendar management.

The batting legend has labelled the Ranji Trophy as the "crown jewel" and "pride" of Indian cricket—but he's frustrated that the board isn't treating it that way. The 2026-27 season kicked off with the Duleep Trophy (wrapped Thursday), with the Irani Trophy slated for early October. Phase 1 of the Ranji runs Oct 11 to Nov 5, then gets yanked mid-stream for the SMAT and VHT before resuming Jan 17, with the final in March.

The core issue? A redball tournament being interrupted to fit a whiteball event.

Gavaskar's maths is simple: rhythm and momentum get destroyed when you pause a multi-week first-class competition. His suggested fix? Run the SMAT to its quarterfinals, take a break, then finish the semis and final—mirroring the Ranji structure. He even suggests shifting SMAT entirely to September.

On the IPL auction angle (where I always listen closely—player valuations move markets): he argues scouts won't lose sight of emerging talent if the auction slips a couple months. The performers stay visible.

His bigger thesis: the BCCI dismantled its old Technical and Fixtures Committees—made up of ex-players, umpires, seasoned administrators—and that expertise gap is now showing. He wants that model revived to rebalance a "slightly skewed" ecosystem.

Bottom line: a credible voice arguing that administrative structure should serve cricketing quality, not commercial convenience. Worth watching whether the board responds.

What's your read—commercial calendar or cricketing rhythm should win?

Source: Crictracker