Dilip Vengsarkar MUMBAI: Former India captain Dilip Vengsarkar has criticised the BCCI’s decision to send an India A team on a shadow tour of New Zealand during the 2026-27 Ranji Trophy season.A 15-member India A squad, led by wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel, will tour New Zealand for three four-day matches in Lincoln and Christchurch from Oct 24 to Nov 7, ahead of India’s two-Test series there.
Watch Gautam Gambhir on India's bowling concerns, Shivam Dube's role after West Indies defeat “Why do you have an India A tour when the Ranji Trophy season is in progress?
What’s the point of holding the Ranji Trophy then?” Vengsarkar told TOI.“This idea of having a shadow tour when your own domestic season is on is plain ridiculous because you are diluting the importance of your premier domestic tournament.”Most players picked for the India A tour are likely to feature in only the opening round of the Ranji Trophy before leaving for New Zealand.“If your best domestic players are playing for India A during the Ranji Trophy, then performances of those who score runs and take wickets in the Ranji Trophy get devalued,” said Vengsarkar, a former India chief selector.“It’s beyond me why these A tours are being organised during the domestic season.”Vengsarkar has previously questioned the BCCI’s scheduling of India A tours and home series during the domestic calendar.
