The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) will consult with the state associations and other stakeholders to decide on the fate of the Ranji Trophy for the current season.
The BCCI office-bearers had an urgent meeting on Thursday, but no decision was taken. The Board will check with the state units to see if it’s feasible for them to start the league phase by the second week of February.
Earlier, the tournament was scheduled to begin on January 13 but was postponed indefinitely due to a rise in COVID-19 cases across the country.
But with major cities showing signs of improvement, a section of the Board believes that it is possible to go ahead with the tournament in a strict bio-bubble with a bit of tweak in the schedule.
The Board may look at hosting the tournament in two phases, completing the league stage before the start of the Indian Premier League on March 27. The knockout stages could be held in June, once the IPL is over.
However, few Board members feel that it may not be possible to conduct the tournament in two phases as the monsoon hits most parts of the country by June-July.
“The office-bearers met following suggestions by several state units, who wanted the tournament to start at the earliest. There were discussions on various aspects, but no decision has been taken yet,” a BCCI insider said. The Board is expected to take a decision on Monday.
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