3 min readApr 1, 2026 08:49 PM IST
After a disastrous 2025-26 domestic season for the senior men’s team, the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) has pressed for drastic changes ahead of the next season. Key among them is that, going forward, no outstation player will be allowed to play in the TNCA First Division.
This decision could impact several players like Jalaj Saxena, Harsh Dubey and Manav Suthar, among others, who may lose out on considerable income as well as the experience of playing in different conditions.
For the TNCA First Division, two changes have been made. First, none of the corporate teams will be allowed to hire an outstation player for the upcoming season. “The outstation players do the heavy lifting, so we thought our players can use that opportunity,” Srinivasa Raj said. And all matches will be four-day fixtures. “Purpose of revamping is to make sure our preparations are in tune for the Ranji Trophy. Playing a three-day game is not helping us, because the fourth day is the one which actually decides the Ranji Trophy,” he added. In the lead-up to the Ranji Trophy, out of the seven matches, four will be played on seamer-friendly neutral venues.
Furthermore, the annual Buchi Babu Invitational tournament won’t have any outstation teams this year, with the TNCA planning to field their own teams to select the Ranji Trophy probables. Having brought back the tournament into the domestic calendar in 2023, several outstation teams had benefited from playing in the competition. Jammu and Kashmir, which won the Ranji Trophy earlier this year, have been a regular and have used the tournament as a preparation of sorts.
Similarly, with weather being an issue in the west and northern parts, several teams like Mumbai, Bengal and Haryana have regularly participated in the event. However, following a Ranji season with just one win and 14 points, the TNCA has responded by deciding to shorten the pre-season window.
“We wanted our players to get good preparation. So we thought it is best we play intra-squad matches after the conclusion of the first leg of the First Division. Of course, other state teams will not be happy, but we have to take this in the best interest of Tamil Nadu cricket. 60 players from First Division will play in Buchi Babu,” TNCA president TJ Srinivasa Raj said. It will be followed by a pre-season camp outside Tamil Nadu.
Women’s TNPL in the works
Regarding the Tamil Nadu Premier League, it will take place only in two venues in 18 days, and the TNCA has also set the ball rolling for a Women’s TNPL. “We have plans to start it with four teams. Groundwork has started; it should happen soon after TNPL,” the president added.
