Why are India's stars playing the Ranji Trophy?

If you've looked at a Ranji Trophy scorecard this month, you might have done a double take. KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Mohammed Siraj and Sarfaraz Khan were among the India players named for the early rounds.

A few years ago, seeing that many internationals turn out for their states at once was rare. The second round began on 18 October, and the third starts on 26 October. So why are they all here?

The short answer is that it's now a condition of playing for India.

The Ranji Trophy is India's first-class championship, the multi-day competition between state and regional teams. It began in 1934 and has always been the main road into the Test side. This season 38 teams take part, playing four-day matches.

For a long time, though, top players treated it as optional. If you were in the Test side, you rarely had time. If you were out of it, the IPL (Indian Premier League) looked like a better use of your energy.

That changed in February 2024, when Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan were left off the BCCI's central contracts (yearly retainer deals from India's cricket board) after missing Ranji matches. In January 2025, the BCCI made it a written rule: domestic cricket is mandatory to stay eligible for selection and central contracts, unless the chairman of selectors approves an exception.

The money explains why a rule was needed. Since 2021, first-class players have been paid by the day, from ₹40,000 to ₹60,000 depending on experience. A senior player earns about ₹2.4 lakh for a four-day match.

Compare that with the IPL, where even a mid-level auction buy can earn several crore in about two months. Left to the market, the long format loses.

The trophy itself has an unexpected story. It is named after Ranjitsinhji, the Jam Sahib (ruler) of Nawanagar and one of the finest batters of his time. He never played Test cricket for India. He played it for England, between 1896 and 1902.

India didn't play its first Test until 1932, so there was no Indian team for him to play for. Even the Duleep Trophy is named after his nephew, who also played his Tests for England.

The rule has its critics. All-format players already have a packed calendar, and every international who drops in for a game pushes out a regular state player.

Supporters say it's worth it. The best preparation for five-day Tests is long-form cricket between series, and young players get to bowl at Test batters before they ever play a Test.

So watch which internationals keep playing once the next Test series gets closer, and which younger names score heavily against them. That's often how India's next Test players first get noticed.