Ranji Trophy 2015-16: Full schedule and tournament guide

The new season of Ranji Trophy will commence on October 1 (Thursday) at various venues across India. Karnataka, who have won the title for 2 years in a row, will again begin as favourites.

Karnataka, led by R Vinay Kumar, are capable of making it a hat-trick. Most the players, who were part of the 2 winning sides, again feature in this year's squad. They are in Group A and being campaign against Assam in Guwahati.

Ranji Trophy, India's premier first-class tournament, conducted by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), is one of the platforms for youngsters to stake claim for national selection.

Here is your guide to the 2015-16 season of Ranji Trophy

• Groups - 27 teams divided into 3 pools
• Group A: Karnataka, Bengal, Assam, Maharashtra, Haryana, Rajasthan, Delhi, Odisha, Vidarbha
• Group B: Andhra, Mumbai, Punjab, Railways, Baroda, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh
• Group C: Hyderabad, Goa, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Kerala, Saurashtra, Tripura, Services, Jharkhand
• Defending champions: Karnataka
• Last season's runner-up: Tamil Nadu
• Last season's semi-finalists: Karnataka, Mumbai, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra
• Last season's quarter-finalists: Karnataka, Assam, Delhi, Mumbai, Vidarbha, Tamil Nadu, Andhra, Maharashtra
• Relegated to Group C: Jammu and Kashmir (last in Group A), Saurashtra (bottom-placed in Group B)
• Promoted to Group A and B: Assam (topped Group C) and Andhra (2nd in Group C)

The format

• Each team plays the other in the Group once in league stage. All 27 sides get to play 8 games each
• For Quarter-finals, top 3 from Group A, Group B and top 2 from Group C will qualify
• Top 2 sides from Group C will be promoted to Group A and Group B for the next season while the bottom-placed in A and B will be releagated to C in 2016-17

Most Ranji Trophy titles (the tournament started in 1934-35 season. So far 81 finals played)

• 40 - Bombay/Mumbai
• 8 - Mysore/Karnataka
• 7 - Delhi
• 5 - Baroda
• 4 - Holkar/Madhya Pradesh
• 2 each - Bengal, Madras/Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Hyderabad, Maharashtra, Railways, Western India/Nawanagar/Saurashtra
• 1 each - Haryana, Punjab, United Province/Uttar Pradesh

Most Ranji Trophy final appearances

• 44 - Bombay/Mumbai
• 14 each - Mysore/Karnataka, Delhi
• 13 - Bengal
• 12 - Madras/Tamil Nadu
• 11 - Holkar/Madhya Pradesh
• 10 - Rajasthan
• 9 - Baroda
• 6 - United Province/Uttar Pradesh
• 5 each - Hyderabad, Maharashtra
• 4 each - Railways, Western India/Nawanagar/Saurashtra, Southern Punjab/Punjab
• 2 - Haryana, Services
• 1 each - Bihar, Gujarat, Northern India

Last 10 champions

• 2014-15 - Karnataka (beat Tamil Nadu)
• 2013-14 - Karnataka (beat Maharashtra)
• 2012-13 - Mumbai (beat Saurashtra)
• 2011-12 - Rajasthan (beat Tamil Nadu)
• 2010-11 - Rajasthan (beat Baroda)
• 2009-10 - Mumbai (beat Karnataka)
• 2008-09 - Mumbai (beat Uttar Pradesh)
• 2007-08 - Delhi (beat Uttar Pradesh)
• 2006-07 - Mumbai (beat Bengal)
• 2005-06 - Uttar Pradesh (beat Bengal)

Points System

• 6 points for an outright victory
• 3 points for first-innings lead in drawn games
• 1 point to the team conceding first-innings lead in drawn games
• 1 bonus point for innings victory or a 10-wicket success
• 1 point each for both teams when no side gets first innings lead
• 1 point each if tied scores in both first innings in drawn games
• 2 points each if scores are tied in both completed innings
• 0 points for an outright loss

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