BENGALURU: The stands of this week’s Ranji Trophy semi-final between Karnataka and Uttarakhand were largely empty at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Uttar Pradesh’s capital Lucknow. In stark contrast, the Kalyani Stadium, about 55 kilometers from Kolkata, was packed with a raucous crowd supporting Bangladesh and eventual finalists Jammu and Kashmir in the other semi-final.
This contrast highlights an often overlooked fact. Even star-studded Ranji matches struggle to generate interest in metropolitan centers where international events and IPL are regularly hosted. But move the same fixtures to a tier-2 or tier-3 city and the energy changes. The ongoing ICC T20 World Cup and the absence of the M Chinnaswamy Stadium was a good thing for Hubballi to host the first Ranji Trophy final.
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The 1996-97 Ranji Trophy final at the Captain Roop Singh Stadium was the first day-night first-class match in the country and attracted huge crowds even though hosts Madhya Pradesh did not take part in the pinnacle showdown. Mumbai won the title with a first-innings lead over Delhi, but the public backlash lingered.
Over the years, small towns have often embraced domestic cricket with a passion that larger cities have not. The trend is expected to continue when Karnataka take on Jammu and Kashmir in the final at the KSCA Rajnagar Stadium starting on Tuesday. The last time Karnataka’s second-tier city hosted a Ranji final was in Mysuru in 2009-10, when Mumbai, led by Wasim Jaffer, registered a thrilling win over Karnataka by six points. The stands were packed and some fans even watched from the top of trees outside the stadium.
Former India pacer Javagal Srinath, who honed his skills in Mysore, believes moving big domestic games to smaller centers will have a transformative impact.
“Holding the Ranji Trophy final in tier II and III cities is a brilliant idea as a generation can draw inspiration from it. The enthusiasm in these places is unmatched. I have nothing against big cities, but the acceptance of domestic cricket among people there pales in comparison to smaller towns,” Srinath said.
He highlighted the impact this has on aspiring cricketers. “Budding players in small towns have limited exposure to top-level cricket, so they take the domestic game very seriously. The association with any sport is through the players. Watching their idols represent the country instills belief. If a youngster in Mysore sees someone from his area succeeding, it boosts his belief that he can do the same.”
This sentiment was echoed by former Karnataka cricketer Avinash Vaidya, who played 46 first-class and 25 A-grade matches, recalling how the experience of watching stalwarts like GR Vishwanath, Roger Binny and Syed Kirmani in the Hubballi local tournament shaped his ambitions.
“People eager to watch renowned cricketers play see it as a gateway for stargazing. Many cannot afford to travel to Bengaluru to watch the IPL or international matches. Therefore, providing domestic cricket to them is crucial,” Vaidya said.
“As a 15-year-old player at club level, playing against great players representing their institution was life-changing for me,” the former goalkeeper added.
In a small town, nothing is taken for granted – not even the Ranji Trophy. Perhaps this is why domestic cricket often finds its most enthusiastic audiences in these parts of the country.