Ranji Trophy Rajasthan to Play Three Matches in Nathdwara

By Abhishek Kumar

The Rajasthan Cricket Association (RCA) has decided to shift three of its four Ranji Trophy home matches this season from Jaipur’s Sawai Mansingh Stadium to Nathdwara’s Madan Paliwal Miraj Sports Centre. The move comes after the high usage fees at SMS and uncertainty over access to the ground.

Rajasthan will now host Chhattisgarh from October 15 Delhi from November 16-19 and Himachal Pradesh from January 22-25 at Nathdwara. The only match scheduled in Jaipur will be against Mumbai. The RCA ad hoc committee stated that Nathdwara provides good facilities including ten practice pitches and is more cost-effective than Jaipur. The ongoing dispute with the Rajasthan State Sports Council, including dues of nearly ₹67 lakh made the decision unavoidable.

Rajasthan are placed in Elite Group D alongside teams like Delhi Mumbai Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh Hyderabad J&K and Puducherry. While Jaipur fans will miss out on live action RCA believes this move ensures smooth hosting of matches and better financial management for the season.