Ranji Trophy 2025-26: Qualification scenarios for quarterfinals ahead of last-round fixtures

A host of teams will be in contention for a spot in the Ranji Trophy knockouts as the last round of fixtures begins on Thursday. So far, Bengal and Mumbai are the only teams that have confirmed their berth in the quarterfinals of the premier First-Class tournament.

At least 12 teams have a chance of grabbing the six remaining spots in the Ranji Trophy last eight.

Group A

Teams in contention: Andhra, Jharkhand, Vidarbha.

In Group A, it will be a three-way fight between Andhra, Jharkhand and defending champion Vidarbha. Andhra, which tops the table with 28 points, is primed to finish as Group A leader, considering it faces minnow Nagaland, which is yet to register a win in the Elite division. Jharkhand and Vidarbha, level on 25 points, will fight it out for the remaining spot and push for an outright win. Jharkhand, which takes on seventh-placed Odisha, may have the edge over Vidarbha, which takes on a strong Uttar Pradesh team.

Group B

Teams in contention: Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Saurashtra.

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Meanwhile, the race is still wide open in Group B, with Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka and Saurashtra in with a chance to advance to the knockouts. Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, placed first and second, respectively, will lock horns in a virtual knockout match, with the winner of the contest guaranteeing its spot in the next round. The second spot could be taken by either Karnataka, placed third with 21 points, or Saurashtra, fourth with 19. Saurashtra will fancy its chances against Chandigarh, while Karnataka will have its task cut out against Punjab.

Group C

Team qualified: Bengal.

Teams in contention: Haryana, Uttarakhand, Services.

Bengal has already qualified for the knockouts from Group C, leaving Haryana, Uttarakhand and Services to slug it out for the remaining berth. Haryana, second with 24 points, will need to push for an outright win against Bengal if it doesn’t want to rely on other results to progress in the tournament. Meanwhile, Uttarakhand (third with 22 points) doesn’t have its fate in its own hands, and even an outright win against Assam won’t be enough if Haryana manages to beat Bengal outright. Services, with 19 points, only has an outside chance as it will need to beat Railways outright and hope Haryana and Uttarakhand lose outright, or, at the least, concede the first-innings lead.

Group D

Team qualified: Mumbai.

Teams in contention: Jammu & Kashmir, Chhattisgarh.

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From Group D, Mumbai has already booked the top spot, and the battle for the remaining berth will be between Jammu & Kashmir and Chhattisgarh. While nothing less than an outright win will cut the ice for third-placed Chhattisgarh (17 points) against Hyderabad, even a first-innings lead could be enough for Jammu & Kashmir, which takes on Himachal Pradesh.

Published on Jan 28, 2026