BENGALURU: The Ranji Trophy semifinal between Karnataka and Uttarakhand at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Uttar Pradesh’s capital city, Lucknow, unfolded in front of largely empty stands this week. In sharp contrast, the Kalyani Stadium, approximately 55 km from Kolkata, was filled with a boisterous crowd backing Bengal and the eventual finalists, Jammu and Kashmir, in the other semifinal.The contrast underlines a truth that is often overlooked. In metropolitan centres that regularly host international fixtures and the IPL, even star-studded Ranji contests struggle to generate interest. But move the same fixture to a tier 2 or tier 3 city, and the energy shifts. The ongoing ICC T20 World Cup and the unavailability of the M Chinnaswamy Stadium here have turned out to be a blessing with Hubballi hosting its maiden Ranji Trophy final.
The past is proof of the love for the game away from the metros. The 1996–97 Ranji Trophy final at the Captain Roop Singh Stadium — the country’s first day-night first-class match — drew massive crowds despite hosts Madhya Pradesh not featuring in the summit clash. Mumbai went on to clinch the title on the virtue of their first-innings lead over Delhi, but what lingered was the overwhelming public response.Over the years, smaller towns have embraced domestic cricket with a passion that often eludes bigger cities. The trend is expected to continue when Karnataka hosts Jammu and Kashmir in the final at the KSCA Rajnagar Stadium starting Tuesday. The last time a tier-2 city in Karnataka staged a Ranji final was in 2009–10 at Mysuru, where Mumbai, led by Wasim Jaffer, edged Karnataka by six runs in a thrilling finish. The stands were packed beyond capacity and some fans even watched from treetops outside the ground.Former India pacer Javagal Srinath, who honed his skills in Mysuru, believes taking marquee domestic matches to smaller centres has a transformative impact.“It is a brilliant idea to host a Ranji Trophy final in a tier-2 or 3 city because a generation draws inspiration from it. Enthusiasm in such places is unmatched. I have nothing against bigger cities, but how people there receive domestic cricket pales in comparison to smaller towns,” Srinath said.
He emphasised the effect on aspiring cricketers. “Budding players in smaller towns have limited exposure to top-level cricket, so they value domestic matches immensely. Connection to any sport is through players. Watching their idols represent the state instils belief. If a youngster from Mysuru sees someone from his region succeed, it upgrades his belief that he can do the same.”Echoing that sentiment, former Karnataka cricketer Avinash Vaidya, who featured in 46 first-class and 25 List A matches, recalled how watching stalwarts like GR Vishwanath, Roger Binny and Syed Kirmani during local tournaments in Hubballi shaped his ambitions.“People starved of watching established cricketers see it as their gateway to stargazing. Many cannot afford to travel to Bengaluru for IPL or international matches. So taking domestic cricket to them is vital,” Vaidya said. “As a 15-year-old club-level player, playing against greats representing their institutions changed my life,” the former wicketkeeper added.In smaller towns, nothing is taken for granted — not even the Ranji Trophy. And perhaps that is why domestic cricket often finds its most passionate audience in those pockets of the country.
