Ranji Trophy: Bengal to host Delhi in season opener at Kalyani on October 11
Bengal will begin their Ranji Trophy campaign against Delhi at the Bengal Cricket Academy in Kalyani on Sunday, October 11, 2026. The hosts, who reached last season’s semifinals, have named a side that includes three available international pacers as they aim to make an impactful start.
Although Bengal enter the match as last season’s semifinalists and appear strong on paper, the article notes both teams should start their Ranji Trophy campaigns on an even keel. Delhi last made it to the knockout stage in 2017-18, a point the returning Delhi coach has highlighted as a target for improvement. The match is scheduled at the Bengal Cricket Academy in Kalyani.
Bengal’s attack is bolstered by the availability of international pace bowlers Mohammed Shami, Akash Deep and Mukesh Kumar. Seasoned spinners Pradipta Pramanik and Aamir Gani, both making a comeback, are also in the XI to complete what the report calls a potent home attack. “We will focus on our strength,” said Bengal head coach L.R. Shukla.
The home batting unit will be led by opener Abhimanyu Easwaran and will include debutant Ankur Paul alongside experienced players Sudip Gharami and Sudip Chatterjee. Wicketkeeper-batter Abishek Porel is named in the side and is described in the report as being out on bail after being arrested on an alleged rape charge. The team will be without veteran middle-order batter Anustup Majumdar, who has retired and switched to coaching.
Vijay Dahiya returns as Delhi’s head coach with a stated aim to revive the side’s fortunes, and his comments were published in full: “We are facing an India attack and should give our best. There couldn’t have been a better start to the season. We need to play intelligently,” said Dahiya, whose first target is to help Delhi reach the knockout stage. The Delhi batting includes skipper Ayush Badoni, Yash Dhull and Anuj Rawat, together with last season’s prolific scorers Sanat Sangwan and Ayush Doseja.
Experienced pacer Navdeep Saini is set to lead Delhi’s bowling attack and is expected, in the report’s phrasing, to stand up and guide his younger colleagues in the bowling department. Both teams will monitor how the fresh pitch behaves after occasional rainfall in the last few days, according to the article.
The Ranji Trophy fixture between Bengal and Delhi starts on Sunday, October 11, 2026, at the Bengal Cricket Academy in Kalyani, where both sides will face the immediate task of adjusting to the pitch and weather conditions as the season opens.