BCCI likely to do away with neutral venues for Ranji matches, 'home and away' format set to make comeback

New Delhi: The BCCI will revert to the tried and tested ‘home and away’ format for the Ranji Trophy when it’s technical committee under the chairmanship of Sourav Ganguly meet in Kolkata on 2 August.

The technical committee meeting will be followed by a meeting of Tours and Fixtures Committee, which will decide on the dates of India’s limited overs home series against Australia in October and November.

It will be after some months that one of BCCI’s sub-committees will be meeting and it has been scheduled in Kolkata as CAB president Ganguly has other commitments.

The BCCI had decided on neutral venues for Ranji Trophy during the 2016-17 season after numerous complaints about home teams doctoring the pitches.

However, most of the domestic captains gave it a thumbs down during the Captains Conclave in Mumbai earlier this year, when it became clear that the idea was a flop.

“Most of the states have already made it clear that we should go back to the old format of at least four home matches. Last year became an ordeal for the teams as they were constantly travelling for three and half months. It made them homesick,” a senior BCCI official, who is not supposed to be officially quoted, told PTI on Saturday.

“Hopefully, chairman of technical committee Ganguly will take a call. That’s the main point on the agenda apart from discussing the Conclave report,” the official added.