Setback for Chhattisgarh as Ranji Games Leave Raipur

Chhattisgarh's 2026-27 Ranji Trophy season has taken an unexpected turn. Two consecutive home matches against Andhra and Hyderabad have been moved away from Raipur's Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium after the NGT declined to grant the necessary permission.

The Elite Group B fixture due to begin on Monday will now be held at the DVR Ground in Mulapadu, near Vijayawada. The change means a match that was meant to be played at home has effectively become an away game for Chhattisgarh.

The team's fourth-round match against Hyderabad has also been removed from Raipur. It is likely to be played in the opposing side's home city.

Speaking on Sunday, a source said that the NGT had not approved the stadium for the matches, which led to the decision to shift the two consecutive home games out of Raipur.

In July, the tribunal had permitted Raipur to host three women's T20 matches between India and Zimbabwe, which were played on October 16, 18 and 20. That permission was subject to a payment of Rs 20 lakh to the Chhattisgarh Pollution Control Board for groundwater recharge. The Ranji Trophy fixtures have not received a similar green light. The tribunal has set December 9 as the date of its next hearing.

The source added that the special approval covered only the women's T20 series. Although all required conditions had been fulfilled for the Ranji games, the NGT is reportedly asking for around Rs 20 lakh per match. Several other matches are due in the state, and the outcome will be closely watched. Chhattisgarh has other grounds available, but none are comparable to the Raipur stadium.

So far, the team has endured a difficult away campaign. It drew with Saurashtra but lost to Punjab at New Chandigarh. With two games played and only one point, Chhattisgarh is seventh in the group and needs strong results to move up the table.