Jammu and Kashmir is hosting the Irani Cup for the first time, with the five-day first-class fixture under way at the Sher-I-Kashmir Stadium in Srinagar. The match runs from 1 to 5 October and pits the reigning Ranji Trophy champions, Jammu and Kashmir, against the Rest of India.
Hosting rights earned through the Ranji Trophy
The Irani Cup is contested between the Ranji Trophy winners and the Rest of India, and the champions traditionally host. Jammu and Kashmir secured this position by winning the 2025-26 Ranji Trophy on 28 February 2026, the team’s first title in the competition. In the final at Hubballi, they defeated eight-time champions Karnataka after establishing a first-innings lead of 291 runs.
The Irani Cup is named after Zal R. Irani, a former Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president, and is regarded as the curtain-raiser to India’s domestic red-ball season. Historically, the Rest of India has won the trophy 30 times, while Mumbai is the most successful champion side with 15 titles.
Restoration of hosting rights and venue preparations
The fixture follows a period of administrative disruption for cricket in the region. The BCCI suspended the Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association’s match-hosting rights for six years and restored them on 8 July 2024. Since then, the board has worked with the association to prepare the venue. BCCI officials visited Srinagar twice to advise on the infrastructure improvements required for a match of this standing.
The stadium has a spectator capacity of approximately 5,000. It recently hosted a Ranji Trophy fixture between Mumbai and Jammu and Kashmir, which served as preparation for the current match. The last major international match in the city was an India-Australia One Day International on 9 September 1986.
Squads and context
Paras Dogra, aged 41, captains Jammu and Kashmir. The Rest of India side is led by wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant, with Sarfaraz Khan as vice-captain. The squad also includes India internationals Akash Deep and Mukesh Kumar, along with Anukul Roy, Manav Suthar and Smaran Ravichandran.
The match coincides with India’s One Day International series against the West Indies, which began on 27 September, and with cricket at the Asian Games, which began the following day. As a result, a number of India’s frontline players are unavailable for selection. Jammu and Kashmir also prepared with practice matches against Kerala in Srinagar in September.
Significance for the region
Officials and supporters have described the fixture as a milestone for cricket in Jammu and Kashmir. For the region’s players, the Ranji title and the Irani Cup together represent a rise in the profile of local cricket. Several Jammu and Kashmir players were selected for the North Zone side in the Duleep Trophy this season, indicating a deepening pool of talent.
Observers note that the significance of the occasion extends beyond sport. Hosting a national-level fixture in Srinagar is widely viewed locally as evidence of a normalising sporting calendar, although the region’s broader political and social circumstances remain subjects of varied opinion.
Season ahead
Jammu and Kashmir will open the defence of their Ranji Trophy title on 11 October against Madhya Pradesh, as part of the 2026-27 domestic season. The team’s performance across both competitions will indicate whether last season’s success marks a lasting shift in the region’s standing in Indian cricket.
