Long before the Indian Premier League made inter-city rivalry over cricket a thing of joy and strife, the Ranji Trophy has pitted city, state and dominion against each other as India’s premier first-class cricket championship.
Many of India’s finest cricketers made their names in the Ranji Trophy before being considered for the national team – the pedestal of gods in Indian cricketing fandom. But the Ranji has a particular appeal to players of quality. Even legends like Sachin Tendulkar chose to play Ranji Trophy matches even when nearing retirement.
Part of the allure, besides the prestige that comes with playing first-class cricket, is the name. The Ranji Trophy started in 1934, its name a nod to the greatest Indian cricketer known at the time – Maharajah Ranjitsinh.
As the name suggests, he was of royal blood – the scion of the ruling family of the princely state of Nawanagar, Gujarat. As Alan Ross famously said of him, he was “The Prince of a Small State, but the king of a great game.”
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