Ranji Trophy is the most elusive domestic tournament of Indian Cricket. The tournament was first played in 1934 and has been conducted annually ever since. Currently, there are 38 participating teams for the grand old trophy. Over the years, this first-class tournament has given many superstars to the country’s cricket. It is the stage where talent is polished to perform for the country on the biggest stage. So far, there have been 19 teams to have laid hands on the coveted trophy. Here, we look at the most successful teams in the tournament’s history.
1. Mumbai/Bombay
Mumbai is by far the most successful team in the coveted Ranji Trophy, winning 41 so far. They have featured in 47 out of 75 Ranji Trophy finals played till 2023. With a win-loss ratio of 87.2% in the finals, Mumbai is the team that knows how to grind out results in crunch games. It is a team that has given true superstars to the nation, such as Sachin Tendulkar, Rohit Sharma, and Sunil Gavaskar.
2. Karnataka/Mysore
The state of Karnataka has given some of the most legendary players to the country in the form of Rahul Dravid and Anil Kumble. Featuring in 14 Ranji finals so far and winning 8 out of them, Karnataka is the second most successful team in the tournament’s history. Overall, it has 20 domestic titles to boast of. It was arguably the most formidable team of the 2010s, having a total of 10 trophies in that period. With a line-up featuring KL Rahul, Karun Nair, Manish Pandey, K Gowtham, and Shreyas Gopal, it is hard to look past Karnataka as favorites.
3. Delhi
Delhi has featured in 15 Ranji finals, having won 7 out of them. Their last triumph was in 2008. It is a team that has given icons such as Virender Sehwag, Virat Kohli, and Ishant Sharma. The current team is a good mix of raw talent and experience, boasting names such as Shikhar Dhawan, Yash Dhull, and Rishabh Pant. However, the internal politics of the DDCA and the controversy around the captain’s position have hampered the team’s performance.
4. Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh defied all odds in 2022 to clinch the Ranji Trophy title. It was their first win in almost 70 years after being renamed from Holkar Cricket Team. While much of their success has been attributed to the mastery of coach Chandrakant Pandit, one should take nothing away from the players. It is one of the teams not featuring any big names and relying on team efforts. Madhya Pradesh has shown that the traditional underdogs of the tournament are no less when it comes to performing on the biggest stage.
5. Baroda
Based in the Moti Bagh Stadium, Vadodara, Baroda is one of the three teams from Gujarat. Baroda has won the Ranji Trophy on five occasions out of the nine finals it has played. However, it has recently been playing under the shadow of Saurashtra’s success, winning its last title in 2001. This team has been home to some of the most exciting cricketers in India, including Yusuf Pathan, Irfan Pathan, Hardik Pandya, and Krunal Pandya.
6. Saurashtra
Saurashtra is the current champion of the Ranji Trophy, having comprehensively beaten Bengal on their home turf. Saurashtra has so far featured in five finals and won on two occasions. While their success is recent, the team features some of the stalwarts of Indian Cricket, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ravindra Jadeja, and Jaydev Unadkat. It was arguably the most dominant team of the past decade and featured in five finals. However, this level of success might be new to this team, but the squad’s talent only suggests that it is here to stay.
7. Vidarbha
It is the only current team in the tournament to have never lost in a final, having won it twice in consecutive years in 2018 and 2019. Vidarbha is a team that has set an example for others in the tournament that it is not necessary to have any superstars in the team to achieve success; a concerted team effort is required for success on the big stage. Often playing under the shadow of Mumbai and Maharashtra Ranji teams, it has shown that it is no underdog.
8. Bengal
They hold the unwanted record of the worst win-loss ratio in Ranji Trophy finals, winning a paltry two out of the 15 finals they have featured in. However, considering the level of competitiveness in the tournament, one cannot undermine their success. It is quite a monumental task to get through the hybrid league and knockout phase of the tournament and make it to the final this often. However, there might be room for improvement when performing at the big stage.
9. Tamil Nadu/Madras
Tamil Nadu so far won two Ranji Trophy titles, the last of which, was way back in 1988. However, they have featured in 13 finals, and it is a team with a poor win-loss ratio in the finals and would want to cash in on its runs to the ultimate game. Previously known as Madras, this team has been home to legends such as Dinesh Kartik and Ravichandran Ashwin. With the beginning of TNPL, all signs suggest that more and more talent would be pouring into the Ranji team as well. For a state devoted to cricket, more success is needed in the domestic first-class tournament.
10. Rajasthan
Rajasthan is the largest state in the country but is sparsely populated. Maybe that is the reason for them having won only two Ranji titles, with their most recent success in 2012. However, with the advent of the Indian Premier League, the cricket infrastructure in the state is improving, and the sport is reaching the grassroots levels. Players like Deepak Chahar, and Mahipal Lomror are evidence of that, and with the elusive T20 league getting more significant, more and more players will be able to perform on the big stage.
