PITCHES are hogging the spotlight in the India-West Indies white-ball series with belters dishing out mountains of runs. As the carnage of the ball continues under lights in the ongoing Twenty20 series, the good old Ranji Trophy has quietly started without much focus. The premier domestic tournament, in its 92nd edition, is used to lesser focus despite producing future cricket stars for the country. It will continue to carry dreams and desires this year too without much fuss.

 

This edition of Ranji Trophy has acquired some weight with the presence of some India stars. Though most senior players are doing duties for India and are set to travel abroad for various BCCI-organised bilateral engagements, some stars have returned to the domestic grind to make themselves count yet again. Their urge to excel will give an added edge to their respective State teams and ultimately will benefit the tournament often devoid of star power. Players enter the Ranji Trophy with a determined mindset of getting noticed by the national selectors. In the process, they lend great weight to their team’s campaign making the domestic meet a level playing ground. For the last decade or so, many underdogs have made a statement by either winning the tournament or giving the established names a run for their money.

 

The tournament has seen different winners over the last few years with Jammu & Kashmir scripting a fairytale by clinching the Ranji Trophy in the last season. Before them, Vidarbha had made heads turn with consecutive titles and later adding one more to their kitty. In between, Madhya Pradesh registered their maiden triumph even as the regular finalists like Mumbai, Delhi, Karnataka continued to face setbacks. This fact has made Ranji Trophy really special as cricket fans are now introduced to more teams challenging the original big boys. J&K will need new heroes to defend their title after the graduation of pacer Aaquib Nabi to India cap. The defending champions will have to find someone who could fill the void as Nabi was the chief architect of their remarkable victory last season. The fast bowler from Baramulla was the find of the season and many such players would be vying to earn the same recognition in this edition. The list of promising players is long.

 

All of them would be in action over the next couple of months unmindful of the lesser spotlight on the Ranji Trophy tournament. The enduring appeal of domestic cricket is the search for this spotlight. Players throw in the best they have got with prayers on their lips and dreams in their eyes. Some do it again and again with a hope of fortune favouring them someday. And some come back to the grind from where they had emerged as India stars. One such player, eager to find his mojo and impress the selectors once again, will be Mohammad Shami. The crafty pacer has been out of favour of the national selectors for quite some time. Shami hardly needs motivation. The comeback by his new-ball partner Bhuvneshwar Kumar to the national team is set to add a spring in Shami’s step. It promises to a sizzling Ranji season, no matter the lack of spotlight.