Saurashtra vs Chhattisgarh, Elite Group B, Ranji Trophy Elite 2026-27

Ranji Trophy 2026-27 Preview: Saurashtra vs Chhattisgarh

Elite Group B | October 11, 2026 | Niranjan Shah Stadium, Rajkot

The 92nd edition of India's premier domestic first-class competition, the Ranji Trophy 2026-27, kicks off on Sunday, October 11, with Saurashtra taking on Chhattisgarh in an Elite Group B clash at the Niranjan Shah Stadium in Rajkot. The match is scheduled to begin at 9:30 AM IST.

Match Overview

This opener forms part of the opening round, which features 19 matches across the country as 38 teams (32 in the Elite division and six in the Plate group) compete for the coveted trophy. Saurashtra and Chhattisgarh both feature in Elite Group B, alongside Andhra, Assam, Hyderabad, Karnataka, Punjab, and Tripura.

Key Storyline: Ravindra Jadeja's Homecoming

The headline attraction of this fixture is the return of left-arm spin bowling allrounder Ravindra Jadeja, who is set to play for Saurashtra after resting following India's home Test series victory over the West Indies earlier this month. The star allrounder was not included in the squad for the ongoing ODI series in Australia, giving him an opportunity to regain match fitness ahead of India's upcoming New Zealand Test series.

Jadeja's return is expected to provide significant depth and experience to Saurashtra's bowling attack. He will rejoin fellow left-arm spinner Dharmendrasinh Jadeja (no relation), who claimed a spectacular match haul of 10 wickets (20/3 in the first innings and 10/2 in the second) against Karnataka in the previous season.

A Spin-Friendly Venue

Saurashtra will be confident of building on familiar conditions, as the Niranjan Shah Stadium has historically offered substantial assistance to spinners. In the last encounter at this venue, spinners accounted for 31 of the 35 wickets that fell in a drawn match, where Saurashtra earned three points courtesy of a first-innings lead. This record could prove crucial against a Chhattisgarh batting lineup that lacks a standout international name.

Team Squads

Saurashtra: Jaydev Unadkat (c), Ravindra Jadeja, Harvik Desai (wk), Arpit Vasavada, Chirag Jani, Prerak Mankad, Jay Gohil, Chetan Sakariya, Ankur Panwar, Sammar Gajjar, Parth Bhut, Visvarajsinh Jadeja, Hetvik Kotak, Neel Pandya, Arth Yadav, Tarang Gohel

Chhattisgarh: Anuj Tiwari (c), Mayank Verma (wk), Rahul Pradhan, Jayant Yadav, Sandeep Warrier, Dharmendrasinh Jadeja, Amandeep Khare, Ashutosh Singh, Ajay Mandal, Sanidhya Hurkat, Sanjeet Desai, Sourabh Majumdar, Prateek Yadav, Ayush Pandey, Vasudev Bareth, Mohammad Sohail, Vikalp Tiwari, Dev Aditya Singh, Rudra Pratap Dehari

What to Expect

Saurashtra arrive as the stronger favourites, backed by their spin-heavy home record and the addition of a marquee allrounder. With Jadeja's ability to contribute with both bat and ball, the hosts will look to dominate proceedings and seize an early advantage in the group stage.

Chhattisgarh, meanwhile, will need their spinners—led by Dharmendrasinh Jadeja—to contain the Saurashtra batting order and keep the run rate in check. A disciplined bowling performance could unsettle the hosts on a track that tends to favor spin.

Where to Watch

The match will be available for live streaming on JioHotstar, with select Ranji Trophy fixtures also broadcast on the Star Sports network. Fans are advised to check the latest broadcast details before match day, as streaming availability can vary.

With the tournament running from October 11, 2026, to March 3, 2027, this opener marks the beginning of what promises to be an exciting campaign, with defending champions Jammu & Kashmir set to lift the title at the end.