Why Indian Cricketers Do Not Play Ranji Trophy
Ranji Trophy is the topmost domestic first-class cricket tournament of India, and from it, most quality players for the national team emerge. Yet, most of India's leading cricketers, particularly those in the national team, rarely watch Ranji matches. A question comes forth—isn't this an important reason why Indian cricketers do not take part in Ranji Trophy actively?

There are a few very significant reasons behind this trend:

1. Packed International Schedule
India is one of the most happening cricketing countries, with matches going on almost throughout the year. The national team plays all formats Test matches, ODIs, and T20 Internationals, which leaves no time for domestic cricket.
Example:
India played 48 international matches in 2023. It is quite challenging for the players to find time for the domestic competitions.
The 2024-2025 cricket season has several ICC tournaments, bilateral series, and the Indian Premier League (IPL), which makes the schedule even tighter.
Most of the top cricketers cannot play in Ranji Trophy matches because of this.

2. Workload Management and Injuries
To avoid injuries and workload management, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the team management always suggest that the key players should take a break. Long tours and continuous matches along with traveling put enormous pressure on cricket players.

Recently, Mayank Agarwal, Shreyas Iyer, and Shivam Dube have been rested from Ranji matches due to the workload.
Fast bowlers are rarely allowed to play domestic matches in order to their chances of playing key international series by incurring injuries.
This translates to advice that players should simply not play as often in domestic matches even if they are fit.
3. The Impact of the Indian Premier League
The IPL has transformed cricket in India. For most cricketers, T20 league cricket has become a favorite since the competition launched in 2008.

The tournament provides massive financial gains, which is a big draw for the players.
Young cricketers focus more on IPL performances than Ranji Trophy to get noticed.
Some players avoid Ranji Trophy to remain fresh for the IPL season.
The influence of the IPL has been so strong that even some young talents prefer playing T20s over first-class cricket.
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4. Established Players Don't Need Ranji Trophy
Many senior players, who have played regularly in Team India, need no further proof in domestic cricket. They are all set for the national team.
Example:
Virat Kohli played only two first-class games other than Test cricket, in the last 12 years.
Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul and Jasprit Bumrah hardly turn up to play Ranji Trophy.
Because selection to the national team now more or less rides on their IPL and India A performances, seniors often miss Ranji games.

5. Injury Rehabilitation and Recovery
The other significant reason the cricketer misses the Ranji Trophy is due to injury recovery. International cricket is an arduous sport and requires a lot of time and rest for a player to recover after a long series.
Example:
Hardik Pandya has not played red-ball cricket since 2018 due to back issues.
Jasprit Bumrah missed Ranji Trophy while recovering from his stress fracture.
Shreyas Iyer and Rishabh Pant focused on rehab after injuries instead of playing Ranji matches.
When players are injured, their main priority is to get fit for international cricket rather than domestic tournaments.
6. BCCI’s Policy on Domestic Cricket
The BCCI has strict policies regarding participation in domestic cricket. BCCI Secretary Jay Shah made it clear in 2023 that centrally contracted players need to play in domestic cricket when they are not on national duty.
Players who don't take their domestic matches seriously may face such selections.
The board wants young players to play in the Ranji Trophy to gain experience in red-ball cricket.
Even with these guidelines, top cricketers miss many Ranji Trophy matches as they have other commitments.