Shubman Gill and KL Rahul are among those who could feature for their respective state teams in the 2026-27 Ranji Trophy, while Jasprit Bumrah could also make an appearance if his workload permits.
India’s preparations for the New Zealand Test tour could begin much earlier than the international series itself, with the country’s senior players potentially being sent back into domestic red ball cricket. The Board of Control for Cricket in India is reportedly preparing a directive under which members of the men’s first team would be expected to play at least one domestic red ball game before the Test assignment in New Zealand.
India’s two Test ma0tches against New Zealand are scheduled to begin on November 19, making the domestic season an important window for players to regain extended red ball match practice.
The expectation, as reported by The Times of India, is that senior players will be asked to play at least one red ball fixture. The BCCI medical team will have the final say, with fitness and workload management taken into account before players are released for domestic matches. The series is expected to carry significance for India’s World Test Championship campaign as well as the direction of the Test side under head coach Gautam Gambhir. Gill could represent Punjab, while Rahul could return to action for Karnataka in the Ranji Trophy. Their involvement, however, will not be unconditional. Rather than making the pacer play a Ranji Trophy game automatically, the board could allow him to prepare through a first class match for India A. The objective would remain the same, giving him competitive red ball cricket while allowing his workload to be managed more carefully. This flexibility could be particularly important for India’s premier fast bowler as the team prepares for an overseas Test challenge. India’s recent Test history has also added weight to the discussion.
The team endured a 0-3 whitewash against New Zealand in 2024, despite playing the series at home.
