India's Test regulars head back to the Ranji Trophy before the two-Test tour of New Zealand

Washington Sundar, KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja are all set to play first-class cricket this week as the Ranji Trophy season opens, with India's two-Test tour of New Zealand to follow next month

India's domestic first-class season begins on Sunday, with 19 matches starting across the country in the opening round of the Ranji Trophy. The round runs until 14 October.

Three members of India's Test group are expected to be among them. The selectors have steered Washington Sundar and KL Rahul away from the limited-overs side and back towards four-day cricket, while Ravindra Jadeja has been named in Saurashtra's squad for their opener.

The reasoning is the same in each case. India play two Tests in New Zealand next month, and red-ball match time before then is short.

Sundar released on the selectors' orders

The clearest signal came on 1 October, when the BCCI withdrew Sundar from India's squad for the five-match T20I series against the West Indies.

The board said the decision had been taken "in view of the upcoming Test series against New Zealand", adding that "Washington will get an opportunity to play red-ball cricket for his state team".

Punjab all-rounder Naman Dhir was named as his replacement in the T20I squad.

The board noted that the Ranji Trophy season begins on 11 October, leaving Sundar four-day cricket to play before the Test squad assembles.

Sundar is set to turn out for Tamil Nadu, who open against Rajasthan at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium under R Sai Kishore.

Rahul expected at Mulapadu, Jadeja at Rajkot

Rahul was also withdrawn from the T20I squad for the West Indies series so that he could play Ranji cricket before the New Zealand Tests. He is expected to feature for Karnataka against Andhra at the Dr. Gokaraju Liala Gangaaraju ACA Cricket Ground in Mulapadu.

Karnataka's squad also includes Prasidh Krishna, although his participation is in doubt. The fast bowler injured a hamstring during the second ODI against the West Indies and missed the third.

Jadeja has been named in a 16-member Saurashtra squad for the opener against Chhattisgarh at the Niranjan Shah Stadium in Rajkot, where Jaydev Unadkat continues as captain.

Jadeja played two matches in India's 2-1 ODI series win over the West Indies, taking two wickets.

Champions begin in Srinagar

Defending champions Jammu and Kashmir, who won the title for the first time last season, start their defence against Madhya Pradesh at the Sher-i-Kashmir Stadium.

Mumbai host Chandigarh at the Wankhede Stadium under Siddhesh Lad, while Abhimanyu Easwaran leads Bengal against Delhi and Prithvi Shaw captains Maharashtra against Services.

Mohammed Siraj, another seamer in India's Test plans, leads Hyderabad against Tripura.

A long season in two phases

The competition runs to 138 matches across 38 teams, split into four Elite groups of eight and a six-team Plate group.

The top two sides in each Elite group reach the quarter-finals. The leading four Plate teams play semi-finals, and the two finalists are promoted.

This first phase runs until 5 November, after which the league pauses and resumes in January 2027.

Karnataka and Saurashtra both begin in Elite Group B, Tamil Nadu in Group D, and the champions in Group A.

Wellington is the target

India's tour of New Zealand carries five T20Is, five ODIs and two Tests. The first Test begins in Wellington on 19 November, the second in Christchurch on 27 November.

That leaves the opening weeks of the Ranji Trophy as the main red-ball preparation available to the Test group, and this round as the first of it.

India's first Test against New Zealand begins in Wellington on 19 November.

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