Why have India ‘A’ tours during Ranji Trophy, asks Dilip Vengsarkar

Former India captain Dilip Vengsarkar has criticized the BCCI for scheduling an India A shadow tour of New Zealand during the 2026-27 Ranji Trophy season. A 15-member India A squad, captained by Dhruv Jurel, is set to play three four-day matches in Lincoln and Christchurch from October 24 to November 7 ahead of India's Test series. Vengsarkar argued that holding the tour during the domestic calendar devalues performances in India's premier first-class tournament.

Most India A squad members will likely miss subsequent Ranji Trophy rounds after featuring in only the opening round. While the BCCI uses shadow tours to help fringe players adapt to overseas conditions, Vengsarkar countered that the board should instead send the main national squad early to acclimatize, rather than scheduling conflicting reserve fixtures.