Arunachal Pradesh will miss the opening round of the Ranji Trophy Plate division and the CK Nayudu Trophy due to an unresolved administrative crisis within the state’s cricket board. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has informed the Gujarat Cricket Association (GCA) that the team’s scheduled season openers will not proceed. The Ranji Trophy match against Nagaland, which was slated to begin on Sunday, October 11, at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, has been called off. Similarly, the CK Nayudu Trophy opener against Meghalaya, originally set for October 12, will not take place. Against Manipur, was scheduled to be played at the MCA Cricket Ground, Polo Ground, Shillong, from October 12, their first CK Nayudu Trophy match.
The disruption stems from a protracted legal dispute regarding the elections to the Arunachal Cricket Association (ARCA). With the case currently before the Gauhati High Court and a verdict still reserved, the state lacks a legitimate administrative body to manage cricket operations. This governance void has prevented the selection of a team and halted the training camps previously hosted in Ahmedabad, which has served as a home venue for Arunachal’s domestic matches in recent years.
Confirming the cancellations, GCA officials notified the Nagaland squad on Saturday evening that the scheduled fixture was off and that future match statuses remained uncertain. A member of the Nagaland team remarked, “We have been informed by a GCA official that there will be no match tomorrow. It was to be held at the Narendra Modi Stadium. We don’t have further information.” The status of Arunachal’s upcoming matches, including their Ranji fixture against Sikkim in Nadiad starting October 18 and their second CK Nayudu game against Nagaland in Anand on October 19, remains pending.
The absence of a functioning association has severely impacted the development of the sport in the state. Historically, Arunachal Pradesh has struggled in domestic competition, having recorded only a single victory in 41 Ranji Trophy matches—a win against Bihar in 2022. During the previous season, the side lost all five of their matches in the Plate division. The cancellation of these initial fixtures marks a significant setback for the team’s participation in the current 2026-27 domestic cycle.
