Ranji Trophy is India’s domestic first-class cricket competition which is played between multiple states as well as regional associations. The competition is named after the first Indian cricketer to play international cricket, Colonel H. H. Shri Sir Ranjitsinhji Vibhaji II, Jam Saheb of Nawanagar, often known as Ranji or K. S. Ranjitsinhji.
The inaugural edition of the Ranji Trophy was played in the 1934-35 season with Mumbai (Bombay) emerging as the first-ever champions.
Over the years, the tournament has observed several changes in the format. Until 2001, the teams were categorized into five different zones, namely, North, West, East, South and Central. The central zone was added ahead of the 1952-53 season.
Before the 2002-03 season, the zonal system was replaced by a two-division structure involving the Elite Group and the Plate Group. The Elite Group consisted of as many as 15 teams while the rest of the teams were in the Plate Group.
The competition has further seen many subtle changes to its format since the 2002-03 season. At present, the tournament follows a round-robin format and the teams that qualify go on to compete in the knockout rounds. Teams from all 28 Indian states compete in the tournament along with four of the eight union territories that have at least one representative.
As of the 2025-26 season, 38 teams take part. Thirty-two of them make up the Elite category, split into four groups of eight, while the remaining six play each other in a single Plate group. The top two from each Elite group go through to the quarter-finals.
Historically, Mumbai have dominated the Ranji Trophy, winning the competition a record 42 times. None of the other teams have managed to win the title on more than 10 occasions. Furthermore, Mumbai also hold the record for most appearances in the Ranji Trophy final — 48, made up of 42 wins and six defeats.
The record champions were on a dominant run from the 1953-54 season to the 1972-73 campaign, lifting the title on 18 out of 20 occasions. During this time, only Madras and Baroda could halt Mumbai’s winning run.
After Mumbai, Karnataka have won the most Ranji Trophies (8) followed by Delhi (7) and Baroda (5). Holkar, a side that no longer exists, won four between 1945-46 and 1952-53. Vidarbha are the most successful of the newer names with three, all of them since 2017-18.
Jammu and Kashmir are the reigning champions. They beat Karnataka on first-innings lead in the 2025-26 final at Hubballi on 28 February 2026, a maiden Ranji Trophy title in 67 years of entering the competition and their first appearance in a final. J&K made 584 in the first innings and bowled Karnataka out for 293, and that 291-run lead decided a match that finished as a draw. Auqib Nabi, who ended the season with 60 wickets and the Player of the Series award, took 5 for 54 in the Karnataka innings.
Vidarbha won the season before that. Their 2024-25 final against Kerala at Nagpur was also drawn and also settled on first-innings lead, 379 to 342, giving them a third Ranji Trophy in seven years. Kerala were in the final for the first time.
Mumbai’s last title was the 2023-24 season, when they beat Vidarbha by 169 runs for their 42nd.
Ranji Trophy winners list
| Season | Champion | Runner-up |
| 1934-35 | Bombay | Northern India |
| 1935-36 | Bombay | Madras |
| 1936-37 | Nawanagar | Bengal |
| 1937-38 | Hyderabad | Nawanagar |
| 1938-39 | Bengal | Southern Punjab |
| 1939-40 | Maharashtra | United Provinces |
| 1940-41 | Maharashtra | Madras |
| 1941-42 | Bombay | Mysore |
| 1942-43 | Baroda | Hyderabad |
| 1943-44 | Western India | Bengal |
| 1944-45 | Bombay | Holkar |
| 1945-46 | Holkar | Baroda |
| 1946-47 | Baroda | Holkar |
| 1947-48 | Holkar | Bombay |
| 1948-49 | Bombay | Baroda |
| 1949-50 | Baroda | Holkar |
| 1950-51 | Holkar | Gujarat |
| 1951-52 | Bombay | Holkar |
| 1952-53 | Holkar | Bengal |
| 1953-54 | Bombay | Holkar |
| 1954-55 | Madras | Holkar |
| 1955-56 | Bombay | Bengal |
| 1956-57 | Bombay | Services |
| 1957-58 | Baroda | Services |
| 1958-59 | Bombay | Bengal |
| 1959-60 | Bombay | Mysore |
| 1960-61 | Bombay | Rajasthan |
| 1961-62 | Bombay | Rajasthan |
| 1962-63 | Bombay | Rajasthan |
| 1963-64 | Bombay | Rajasthan |
| 1964-65 | Bombay | Hyderabad |
| 1965-66 | Bombay | Rajasthan |
| 1966-67 | Bombay | Rajasthan |
| 1967-68 | Bombay | Madras |
| 1968-69 | Bombay | Bengal |
| 1969-70 | Bombay | Rajasthan |
| 1970-71 | Bombay | Maharashtra |
| 1971-72 | Bombay | Bengal |
| 1972-73 | Bombay | Tamil Nadu |
| 1973-74 | Karnataka | Rajasthan |
| 1974-75 | Bombay | Karnataka |
| 1975-76 | Bombay | Bihar |
| 1976-77 | Bombay | Delhi |
| 1977-78 | Karnataka | Uttar Pradesh |
| 1978-79 | Delhi | Karnataka |
| 1979-80 | Delhi | Bombay |
| 1980-81 | Bombay | Delhi |
| 1981-82 | Delhi | Karnataka |
| 1982-83 | Karnataka | Bombay |
| 1983-84 | Bombay | Delhi |
| 1984-85 | Bombay | Delhi |
| 1985-86 | Delhi | Haryana |
| 1986-87 | Hyderabad | Delhi |
| 1987-88 | Tamil Nadu | Railways |
| 1988-89 | Delhi | Bengal |
| 1989-90 | Bengal | Delhi |
| 1990-91 | Haryana | Bombay |
| 1991-92 | Delhi | Tamil Nadu |
| 1992-93 | Punjab | Maharashtra |
| 1993-94 | Bombay | Bengal |
| 1994-95 | Bombay | Punjab |
| 1995-96 | Karnataka | Tamil Nadu |
| 1996-97 | Mumbai | Delhi |
| 1997-98 | Karnataka | Uttar Pradesh |
| 1998-99 | Karnataka | Madhya Pradesh |
| 1999-00 | Mumbai | Hyderabad |
| 2000-01 | Baroda | Railways |
| 2001-02 | Railways | Baroda |
| 2002-03 | Mumbai | Tamil Nadu |
| 2003-04 | Mumbai | Tamil Nadu |
| 2004-05 | Railways | Punjab |
| 2005-06 | Uttar Pradesh | Bengal |
| 2006-07 | Mumbai | Bengal |
| 2007-08 | Delhi | Uttar Pradesh |
| 2008-09 | Mumbai | Uttar Pradesh |
| 2009-10 | Mumbai | Karnataka |
| 2010-11 | Rajasthan | Baroda |
| 2011-12 | Rajasthan | Tamil Nadu |
| 2012-13 | Mumbai | Saurashtra |
| 2013-14 | Karnataka | Maharashtra |
| 2014-15 | Karnataka | Tamil Nadu |
| 2015-16 | Mumbai | Saurashtra |
| 2016-17 | Gujarat | Mumbai |
| 2017-18 | Vidarbha | Delhi |
| 2018-19 | Vidarbha | Saurashtra |
| 2019-20 | Saurashtra | Bengal |
| 2020-21 | Not held due to Covid-19 | |
| 2021-22 | Madhya Pradesh | Mumbai |
| 2022-23 | Saurashtra | Bengal |
| 2023-24 | Mumbai | Vidarbha |
| 2024-25 | Vidarbha | Kerala |
| 2025-26 | Jammu and Kashmir | Karnataka |
Featured photo: AFP / Dibyangshu Sarkar