The presence of India cricketers will provide gravitas to the Ranji Trophy 2026-27, which begins across various venues on Sunday, and it will be interesting to see whether the competition can produce another surprise champion. Jammu and Kashmir sent shockwaves through the premier domestic tournament by clinching the 2025-26 title with a victory over eight-time champions and star-studded Karnataka. But more than anyone else, J&K will know that defending the title will be far tougher, as opponents will now be better prepared against them.
Among these teams, a clutch of India players will be making relatively rare appearances on the domestic circuit. Along with helping their respective teams, each of these players also enters the tournament with individual objectives. For Rahul and Jaiswal, it will be an opportunity to get valuable red-ball game time before travelling to New Zealand for a two-Test series. Washington will be eager to fine-tune his bowling before a possible selection in India’s Test squad, as indicated by his withdrawal from the ongoing T20I series against the West Indies. His faint hopes of returning to the national side may have been boosted by the recent comeback of Bhuvneshwar Kumar to India’s T20I squad for the tour of New Zealand. Jharkhand has quietly become a hub of exciting batting talent. The team no longer relies solely on the legacy of MS Dhoni or the star power of Ishan Kishan. Kumar Kushagra, Anukul Roy, Shikhar Mohan, Virat Singh and Sharandeep Singh have carried the side forward with a series of notable performances, and Jharkhand will expect a strong season from them.
