Ranji Trophy 2026-27: Hyderabad and Chhattisgarh meet at Gymkhana after contrasting starts

Hyderabad and Chhattisgarh meet at the Gymkhana on Monday in the Ranji Trophy 2026-27, arriving after contrasting starts to the campaign. Both sides head into the final fixture of the first phase with eyes on maximum points.

Hyderabad followed two successive wins with a stalemate at home against Punjab, a match in which Abhirath missed out on a century as Hyderabad conceded the first-innings lead against Punjab. Chhattisgarh opened the season with a draw and a heavy loss before recovering to snatch victory over Andhra, despite rain claiming an entire day. Those results leave each team seeking a strong finish to the opening phase.

Chhattisgarh head coach Amay Khurasiya was bullish, saying, “This won’t be (a dead rubber), and I think my dendrites are working well!” Hyderabad’s assistant coach Bavanaka Sandeep said, “It is a big tournament in two phases. Some teams may peak early, some late. I don’t see them as a threat. If we play at least 70-80% to our ability, we should get through this game,” he said.

Hyderabad’s frontline spinners Tanay Thyagarajann and Aniketh Reddy claimed 30 wickets for 347 runs in the wins over Tripura and Andhra but returned figures of 354 runs for just five wickets against Punjab. There is confidence that the pitch — the same strip used here against Tripura — will produce a result, unlike Hyderabad’s clash with Punjab, which left the bowlers frustrated.

Chhattisgarh will rely on an experienced spin pair led by tweakers Dharmendrasinh Jadeja and Ajay Mandal, who the team believes will benefit should the surface offer turn. In the batting department, Ayush Pandey and Amandeep Khare have been the mainstays for Chhattisgarh, while Anuj Tiwari regained form last week to help see off Andhra.

Three Hyderabad batters fell short of centuries in their most recent game and will be aiming to convert starts into big scores in the final group match. Both teams will hope for a final flourish before the red ball is set aside and the white-ball lights come on.

The match at the Gymkhana starting Monday is the final fixture of the Ranji Trophy first phase, with both Hyderabad and Chhattisgarh targeting maximum points as they close this portion of the tournament.