Central contracts go to Sarfaraz Khan and Dhruv Jurel; Ranji matches in the north are unlikely to take place in December or January

After meeting the requirement of playing three Test matches in the current season, India’s newest batting sensation, Sarfaraz Khan, and wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel were recruited into Group C of the BCCI’s central contract, which comes with an annual retainership cost of Rs 1 lakh.

During the BCCI Apex Council meeting on Monday, their names were approved.

Mumbai’s local heavyweight Sarfaraz hit three half-centuries in three Test matches against England, while Jurel, an Agra native, earned Player of the Match in only his second game, scoring 90 and 39 not out in a challenging Ranchi chase.

The central contract’s ratification was on the schedule, and both were approved.

Ranji Trophy schedule

The BCCI will probably review the Ranji Trophy schedule for the next season and decide not to play any games in the northern region of India in December and January, when poor visibility and fog often cause problems.

One of the main things on the eight-point agenda of the Apex Council of that day was the preliminary schedule of 2024–25, which the BCCI Apex Council did debate, even though the exact domestic calendar would be revealed later.

The Ranji Trophy has been held in north Indian towns including as Delhi, Chandigarh, Kanpur, Meerut, Jammu, and Dharamsala since the previous several seasons. During the winter months, most of the matches in these cities are impacted by poor lighting and fog.

Although a decision has not yet been made, the Ranji Trophy, as in previous years, may begin in mid-October or late October after the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, which acts as a platform for the IPL auction. From mid-December to mid-February, several states are losing vital points in games that are either make-or-break,” a top BCCI source told PTI.

Additionally, word has it that a committee headed by the BCCI will determine whether or not Daman & Diu, a union territory, be granted associate membership.

For exposure tours, foreign boards are unable to speak with state agencies directly.

Many ICC associate members, including as Nepal, are interested in visiting India on exposure visits and to play exhibition matches against some of the state teams. Actually, in addition to training in the nation’s capital, the Nepal team—which will represent the country in the T20 World Cup in the US and the West Indies—plans to play a few T20 matches against Gujarat, Baroda in a three-team competition known as the Friendship Cup.

The Apex Council of the BCCI, however, made it clear that before any connected state unit can host an international squad, they must first have a nod of approval from the parent organization.