The Kerala Ranji Trophy team and fixtures for 2026-27 are now partly confirmed ahead of the new domestic season.
Kerala will compete in Elite Group C of the Ranji Trophy 2026-27. Their seven league matches are scheduled between October 11, 2026 and February 4, 2027.
Kerala will face Jharkhand, Odisha, Bengal, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Delhi and Services during the league stage.
The full Kerala squad for the 2026-27 Ranji Trophy has not yet been officially announced. The latest complete squad available is from the 2025-26 season, when Mohammed Azharuddeen captained Kerala, and Baba Aparajith served as vice-captain.
The squad section below therefore uses the latest confirmed Kerala Ranji Trophy squad as a reference and clearly separates it from the upcoming 2026-27 team announcement.
Kerala Ranji Trophy 2026-27 at a Glance
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Team | Kerala |
| Tournament | Ranji Trophy Elite 2026-27 |
| Group | Elite Group C |
| League Matches | 7 |
| Phase 1 | October 11 to November 5, 2026 |
| Phase 2 | January 17 to February 4, 2027 |
| Knockouts | February 9 to March 3, 2027 |
| 2026-27 Squad | Not officially announced yet |
| Latest Confirmed Captain | Mohammed Azharuddeen, 2025-26 |
| Latest Confirmed Vice-Captain | Baba Aparajith, 2025-26 |
| Venue Format | Home and Away |
Kerala needs to finish in the top two of Elite Group C to qualify for the quarter-finals.
Kerala will once again be aiming to build on their historic run to the maiden Ranji Trophy final, and their group-stage draw will play a big part in shaping that campaign. Fans can explore the complete list of Ranji trophy teams for 2026-27 Season to see how Kerala’s Elite group stacks up alongside the other domestic sides competing across the country. Understanding the strength of each group makes it easier to gauge Kerala’s path to another knockout berth this season.
Kerala Ranji Trophy 2026-27 Fixtures
Kerala have seven league matches in the 2026-27 Elite Group C schedule.
| Round | Dates | Fixture | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | October 11 to 14, 2026 | Jharkhand vs Kerala | Jamshedpur, Keenan Stadium |
| 2 | October 18 to 21, 2026 | Kerala vs Odisha | Thiruvananthapuram, Greenfield International Stadium |
| 3 | October 26 to 29, 2026 | Kerala vs Bengal | Thiruvananthapuram, KCA Cricket Ground, Mangalapuram |
| 4 | November 2 to 5, 2026 | Gujarat vs Kerala | Ahmedabad, Narendra Modi Stadium |
| 5 | January 17 to 20, 2027 | Maharashtra vs Kerala | Pune, Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium |
| 6 | January 24 to 27, 2027 | Kerala vs Delhi | Thiruvananthapuram, KCA Cricket Ground, Mangalapuram |
| 7 | February 1 to 4, 2027 | Kerala vs Services | Thiruvananthapuram, KCA Cricket Ground, Mangalapuram |
BCCI has listed the Ranji Trophy Elite league stage under a home-and-away venue format. The exact stadium for several fixtures is still to be confirmed.
Kerala vs Jharkhand, Round 1
Kerala begins their 2026-27 Ranji Trophy campaign with an away fixture against Jharkhand.
| Match Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Fixture | Jharkhand vs Kerala |
| Dates | October 11 to 14, 2026 |
| Round | 1 |
| Group | Elite Group C |
| Venue | TBC |
The opening round starts the first four-match phase of Kerala’s season.
Kerala vs Odisha, Round 2
Kerala’s second fixture is a home match against Odisha.
| Match Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Fixture | Kerala vs Odisha |
| Dates | October 18 to 21, 2026 |
| Round | 2 |
| Group | Elite Group C |
| Venue | TBC |
Kerala vs Bengal, Round 3
Kerala will then host Bengal from October 26.
| Match Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Fixture | Kerala vs Bengal |
| Dates | October 26 to 29, 2026 |
| Round | 3 |
| Group | Elite Group C |
| Venue | TBC |
Bengal is one of the major teams in Group C and has a long Ranji Trophy history.
Gujarat vs Kerala, Round 4
Kerala finishes Phase 1 with an away match against Gujarat.
| Match Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Fixture | Gujarat vs Kerala |
| Dates | November 2 to 5, 2026 |
| Round | 4 |
| Group | Elite Group C |
| Venue | TBC |
After this round, Kerala will have a long break before Phase 2 begins in January.
Maharashtra vs Kerala, Round 5
Kerala resumes its Ranji Trophy campaign against Maharashtra.
| Match Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Fixture | Maharashtra vs Kerala |
| Dates | January 17 to 20, 2027 |
| Round | 5 |
| Group | Elite Group C |
| Venue | TBC |
Kerala vs Delhi, Round 6
Kerala return home for a major fixture against Delhi.
| Match Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Fixture | Kerala vs Delhi |
| Dates | January 24 to 27, 2027 |
| Round | 6 |
| Group | Elite Group C |
| Venue | TBC |
This will be Kerala’s penultimate league match.
Kerala vs Services, Round 7
Kerala close the league stage against Services.
| Match Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Fixture | Kerala vs Services |
| Dates | February 1 to 4, 2027 |
| Round | 7 |
| Group | Elite Group C |
| Venue | TBC |
The top two teams from the group move into the Ranji Trophy quarter-finals.
Kerala Ranji Trophy 2026-27 Group
Kerala are in Elite Group C.
| Elite Group C Teams |
|---|
| Bengal |
| Delhi |
| Gujarat |
| Jharkhand |
| Kerala |
| Maharashtra |
| Odisha |
| Services |
Each team plays the other seven teams once.
Kerala Ranji Trophy 2026-27 Home and Away Split
Kerala have four listed home fixtures and three away fixtures.
Kerala Home Matches
| Opponent | Dates |
|---|---|
| Odisha | October 18 to 21, 2026 |
| Bengal | October 26 to 29, 2026 |
| Delhi | January 24 to 27, 2027 |
| Services | February 1 to 4, 2027 |
Kerala Away Matches
| Opponent | Dates |
|---|---|
| Jharkhand | October 11 to 14, 2026 |
| Gujarat | November 2 to 5, 2026 |
| Maharashtra | January 17 to 20, 2027 |
BCCI has not yet confirmed the exact stadium for every Kerala fixture.
Kerala Ranji Trophy 2026-27 Squad
The Kerala 2026-27 Ranji Trophy squad has not been officially announced yet.
Until the Kerala Cricket Association releases the new team, it would be inaccurate to present last season’s squad as the confirmed 2026-27 squad.
The latest full squad available is Kerala’s opening-round squad from the 2025-26 Ranji Trophy.
Latest Confirmed Kerala Ranji Trophy Squad
The following 15-player squad was announced for Kerala’s 2025-26 opening match against Maharashtra.
| Player | Role / Status |
|---|---|
| Mohammed Azharuddeen | Captain, wicketkeeper-batter |
| Baba Aparajith | Vice-captain |
| Sanju Samson | Wicketkeeper-batter |
| Rohan S Kunnummal | Batter |
| Vathsal Govind Sharma | Batter |
| Akshay Chandran | All-round option |
| Sachin Baby | Batter |
| Salman Nizar | Batter |
| Ankit Sharma | All-rounder/spinner |
| MD Nidheesh | Bowler |
| Basil NP | Bowler |
| Edhen Apple Tom | Bowler |
| Ahammed Imran | Batter |
| Shoun Roger | Batter |
| Abhishek P Nair | Player |
This list should be treated as a 2025-26 reference squad, not the final 2026-27 team.
Kerala Captain for Ranji Trophy
Mohammed Azharuddeen was named Kerala captain for the 2025-26 Ranji Trophy.
He replaced Sachin Baby as captain. Baba Aparajith was named vice-captain.
The Kerala Cricket Association had not confirmed the 2026-27 Ranji Trophy captain at the time of writing.
| Leadership Role | Latest Confirmed Player |
|---|---|
| Captain | Mohammed Azharuddeen |
| Vice-Captain | Baba Aparajith |
| Season | 2025-26 |
The leadership can change when the 2026-27 squad is announced.
Sanju Samson in Kerala Ranji Trophy Team
Sanju Samson returned to Kerala’s Ranji Trophy squad for the 2025-26 season. He was included in the 15-player opening-round team.
Samson has represented Kerala throughout his domestic career and remains one of the best-known players associated with the side.
His availability for the 2026-27 Ranji Trophy will depend on Kerala selection and India commitments.
He should not be listed as a confirmed 2026-27 squad member until the official team announcement.
Sachin Baby and Kerala
Sachin Baby has been one of Kerala’s most experienced Ranji Trophy batters.
He captained Kerala during their historic run to the 2024-25 Ranji Trophy final.
For the following 2025-26 season, Mohammed Azharuddeen took over the captaincy while Sachin Baby remained in the squad.
Baba Aparajith in Kerala Team
Baba Aparajith joined Kerala as a guest player after previously representing Tamil Nadu.
He was named vice-captain for the 2025-26 Ranji Trophy.
His experience adds batting depth and another spin option.
His 2026-27 place should be confirmed only after Kerala announces the new squad.
Kerala’s Recent Ranji Trophy Progress
Kerala reached their first Ranji Trophy final in 2024-25.
They faced Vidarbha in the final.
The match ended in a draw, but Vidarbha won the championship on the basis of their first-innings lead.
That remains Kerala’s best Ranji Trophy finish.
Kerala Ranji Trophy Best Result
| Record | Detail |
|---|---|
| Best Finish | Runners-up |
| Season | 2024-25 |
| Final Opponent | Vidarbha |
| Final Result | Draw |
| Champion | Vidarbha on first-innings lead |
Kerala will try to return to the knockout stage in 2026-27.
Kerala Ranji Trophy 2025-26 Squad vs 2026-27 Team
| Detail | 2025-26 | 2026-27 |
|---|---|---|
| Squad | Announced | Not yet fully announced |
| Captain | Mohammed Azharuddeen | TBA |
| Vice-Captain | Baba Aparajith | TBA |
| Group | Elite Group B | Elite Group C |
| League Matches | 7 | 7 |
| Season Start | October 15, 2025 | October 11, 2026 |
This distinction helps avoid publishing an outdated squad as the current team.
Kerala Ranji Trophy 2025-26 Squad Players to Watch
Several players from the latest confirmed squad remain important names around Kerala red-ball cricket.
Mohammed Azharuddeen
Azharuddeen is a wicketkeeper-batter and was promoted to captain for the 2025-26 season.
He had also led South Zone in the Duleep Trophy.
Sanju Samson
Samson brings international experience and attacking batting.
His availability often depends on India commitments.
Sachin Baby
Sachin Baby has been a key middle-order player for Kerala for many seasons.
He led Kerala to their first Ranji Trophy final.
Salman Nizar
Salman Nizar played an important role during Kerala’s strong 2024-25 season.
Rohan S Kunnummal
Rohan Kunnummal is one of Kerala’s prominent top-order batters.
Ranji Trophy 2026-27 Elite Format
The Elite division has 32 teams split into four groups of eight.
Each team plays seven league matches.
| Detail | Number |
|---|---|
| Elite Teams | 32 |
| Elite Groups | 4 |
| Teams Per Group | 8 |
| League Matches Per Team | 7 |
| Quarter-finalists | 8 |
The top two teams from every Elite group qualify for the quarter-finals.
Kerala’s Route to the Ranji Trophy Quarter-finals
Kerala need to finish in the top two of Elite Group C.
Their group contains Bengal, Delhi, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Odisha and Services.
Four of Kerala’s seven league matches come before the November break.
Phase 2 then has three fixtures.
Ranji Trophy 2026-27 Kerala Match Dates
| Date | Kerala Fixture |
|---|---|
| October 11 to 14 | Jharkhand vs Kerala |
| October 18 to 21 | Kerala vs Odisha |
| October 26 to 29 | Kerala vs Bengal |
| November 2 to 5 | Gujarat vs Kerala |
| January 17 to 20 | Maharashtra vs Kerala |
| January 24 to 27 | Kerala vs Delhi |
| February 1 to 4 | Kerala vs Services |
Kerala Ranji Trophy Match Venues
The exact stadiums remain TBC for several fixtures.
Kerala have previously used grounds such as:
- Greenfield International Stadium, Thiruvananthapuram
- St Xavier’s College Ground, Thumba
- KCA Cricket Ground, Mangalapuram
These should not be treated as confirmed 2026-27 venues until BCCI or Kerala Cricket Association updates the match pages.
Kerala Ranji Trophy Live Streaming
Selected Ranji Trophy matches are expected to be available on JioHotstar under the current BCCI domestic media-rights setup.
Selected games may also receive television coverage through the Star Sports Network.
Not every league match is guaranteed to have a live video stream.
Fans should check the BCCI match page and JioHotstar before each Kerala fixture.
Kerala Ranji Trophy Live Scores
Fans can follow Kerala matches through:
- BCCI website and app
- ESPNcricinfo
- Cricbuzz
Live scorecards provide innings totals, wickets, partnerships, player scores, and match status.
Final Word: Kerala Ranji Trophy Team Ready to Start their Ranji Campaign Against Jharkhand
The Kerala Ranji Trophy Team & Fixtures for 2026-27 are partly confirmed.
Kerala are in Elite Group C and will play Jharkhand, Odisha, Bengal, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Delhi and Services.
Their league campaign starts on October 11, 2026 and ends on February 4, 2027.
The full 2026-27 Kerala squad has not yet been officially announced.
The latest confirmed squad is from 2025-26, when Mohammed Azharuddeen captained the team, Baba Aparajith served as vice-captain, and players such as Sanju Samson, Sachin Baby, Salman Nizar and Rohan Kunnummal were included.
The squad section should be updated once Kerala Cricket Association releases its official 2026-27 Ranji Trophy team.