The Irani Trophy, also known as the Irani Cup, is one of the oldest and most prestigious first-class cricket fixtures in India. Organised by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), the match traditionally brings together the reigning Ranji Trophy champions and a Rest of India team made up of leading players from across the domestic circuit.
The competition was introduced in the 1959-60 season to mark the 25th anniversary of the Ranji Trophy. It was initially intended to be a one-off match, but the BCCI decided to make it an annual fixture from 1962-63. Over the years, the match has become an important test for some of India’s best domestic cricketers and has regularly featured players who later represented the national team.
Rest of India has been the most successful team in the competition. Mumbai, formerly known as Bombay, and Karnataka are the next major winners, while Vidarbha has also emerged as a successful side in recent years.
The latest edition was played from October 1 to 5, 2026, at the Sher-e-Kashmir Cricket Stadium in Srinagar. Rest of India defeated reigning Ranji Trophy champions Jammu and Kashmir by 167 runs to lift the trophy.
What Is the Irani Trophy?
The Irani Trophy is a one-off first-class cricket match between two sides: the reigning Ranji Trophy champions and a Rest of India XI.
The Rest of India team is selected from players representing different domestic teams, with players from the current Ranji Trophy champions generally excluded because their state team is already represented in the match. This creates a contest between the best domestic champions and a strong selection of players from the rest of the country.
Unlike a conventional league or knockout tournament, the Irani Trophy consists of one five-day first-class match.
History of the Irani Trophy
1959-60 – The First Irani Cup
The first Irani Cup was played in March 1960 between Bombay and Rest of India at the Feroz Shah Kotla in Delhi.
The fixture was created to commemorate 25 years of the Ranji Trophy and was initially intended as a special one-off contest. Bombay scored 344 in its first innings, while Rest of India replied with 298. Bombay then declared on 210/5, but the match ended in a draw, with Bombay taking the trophy because of its first-innings lead.
The trophy was named after Zal R. Irani, a long-serving BCCI official who was closely associated with Indian cricket administration.
1962-63 – Annual Competition Begins
After the inaugural match, there was no competition in 1960-61, and the fixture returned in 1962-63. The BCCI subsequently established it as an annual contest.
Bombay again won the trophy in 1962-63 after the match ended in a draw and Bombay secured the first-innings advantage. Bombay also won the 1963-64 edition by 109 runs.
1965-66 – First Shared Trophy
The 1965-66 match between Bombay and Rest of India ended without a completed first-innings result, so the trophy was shared.
It remains one of the unusual results in Irani Cup history because the normal first-innings lead rule could not be applied.
1966-67 – Rest of India Wins for the First Time
Rest of India recorded its first outright Irani Cup title in 1966-67 when it defeated Bombay by six wickets at Eden Gardens.
That victory began a long period of dominance for Rest of India in the competition.
Irani Trophy Winners List
The competition has had several gaps and unusual scheduling periods, including seasons when the match was not played and the COVID-19 cancellations.
| Season | Winner | Opponent | Result |
| 1959-60 | Bombay | Rest of India | Bombay won on first-innings lead |
| 1960-61 | Not held | — | — |
| 1962-63 | Bombay | Rest of India | Bombay won on first-innings lead |
| 1963-64 | Bombay | Rest of India | Bombay won by 109 runs |
| 1964-65 | Not held | — | — |
| 1965-66 | Bombay & Rest of India | — | Shared |
| 1966-67 | Rest of India | Bombay | Rest of India won by 6 wickets |
| 1967-68 | Bombay | Rest of India | Bombay won on first-innings lead |
| 1968-69 | Rest of India | Bombay | Rest of India won by 119 runs |
| 1969-70 | Bombay | Rest of India | Bombay won on first-innings lead |
| 1970-71 | Bombay | Rest of India | Bombay won on first-innings lead |
| 1971-72 | Rest of India | Bombay | Rest of India won by 119 runs |
| 1972-73 | Bombay | Rest of India | Bombay won by 220 runs |
| 1973-74 | Rest of India | Bombay | Rest of India won on first-innings lead |
| 1974-75 | Karnataka | Rest of India | Karnataka won on first-innings lead |
| 1975-76 | Bombay | Rest of India | Bombay won on first-innings lead |
| 1976-77 | Rest of India | Bombay | Rest of India won on first-innings lead |
| 1977-78 | Rest of India | Karnataka | Rest of India won |
| 1978-79 | Rest of India | Karnataka | Rest of India won |
| 1979-80 | Rest of India & Delhi | — | Shared |
| 1980-81 | Karnataka | Rest of India | Karnataka won |
| 1981-82 | Karnataka | Rest of India | Karnataka won |
| 1982-83 | Rest of India | Delhi | Rest of India won |
| 1983-84 | Karnataka | Rest of India | Karnataka won |
| 1984-85 | Rest of India | Bombay | Rest of India won |
| 1985-86 | Karnataka | Rest of India | Karnataka won |
| 1986-87 | Rest of India | Delhi | Rest of India won |
| 1987-88 | Hyderabad | Rest of India | Hyderabad won |
| 1988-89 | Tamil Nadu | Rest of India | Tamil Nadu won |
| 1989-90 | Delhi | Rest of India | Delhi won |
| 1990-91 | Rest of India | Bengal | Rest of India won |
| 1991-92 | Haryana | Rest of India | Haryana won |
| 1992-93 | Rest of India | Delhi | Rest of India won |
| 1993-94 | Rest of India | Punjab | Rest of India won |
| 1994-95 | Bombay | Rest of India | Bombay won |
| 1995-96 | Bombay | Rest of India | Bombay won |
| 1996-97 | Karnataka | Rest of India | Karnataka won |
| 1997-98 | Mumbai | Rest of India | Mumbai won |
| 1998-99 | Karnataka | Rest of India | Karnataka won |
| 1999-00 | Rest of India | Karnataka | Rest of India won |
| 2000-01 | Rest of India | Mumbai | Rest of India won |
| 2001-02 | Rest of India | Baroda | Rest of India won |
| 2002-03 | Railways | Rest of India | Railways won |
| 2003-04 | Rest of India | Mumbai | Rest of India won |
| 2004-05 | Rest of India | Mumbai | Rest of India won |
| 2005-06 | Railways | Rest of India | Railways won |
| 2006-07 | Rest of India | Uttar Pradesh | Rest of India won |
| 2007-08 | Rest of India | Mumbai | Rest of India won |
| 2008-09 | Rest of India | Delhi | Rest of India won |
| 2009-10 | Rest of India | Mumbai | Rest of India won |
| 2010-11 | Rest of India | Mumbai | Rest of India won |
| 2011-12 | Rest of India | Rajasthan | Rest of India won |
| 2012-13 | Rest of India | Rajasthan | Rest of India won |
| 2012-13 | Rest of India | Mumbai | Rest of India won |
| 2013-14 | Karnataka | Rest of India | Karnataka won |
| 2014-15 | Karnataka | Rest of India | Karnataka won |
| 2015-16 | Rest of India | Mumbai | Rest of India won |
| 2016-17 | Rest of India | Gujarat | Rest of India won |
| 2017-18 | Vidarbha | Rest of India | Vidarbha won on first-innings lead |
| 2018-19 | Vidarbha | Rest of India | Vidarbha won on first-innings lead |
| 2019-20 | Rest of India | Saurashtra | Rest of India won by 8 wickets |
| 2020-21 | Not held | — | COVID-19 |
| 2021-22 | Not held | — | COVID-19 |
| 2022-23 | Rest of India | Madhya Pradesh | Rest of India won by 238 runs |
| 2023-24 | Rest of India | Saurashtra | Rest of India won by 175 runs |
| 2024-25 | Mumbai | Rest of India | Mumbai won on first-innings lead |
| 2025-26 | Vidarbha | Rest of India | Vidarbha won by 93 runs |
| 2026-27 | Rest of India | Jammu and Kashmir | Rest of India won by 167 runs |
The historical winners and results are compiled from BCCI records and published Irani Cup results.
Recent Irani Trophy Seasons
2022-23 – Rest of India Beat Madhya Pradesh
After the COVID-19 disruption, the Irani Cup returned with Rest of India facing Madhya Pradesh, the 2021-22 Ranji Trophy champions, in Gwalior in March 2023.
Rest of India scored 484 in the first innings and 246 in the second. Madhya Pradesh were dismissed for 294 and 198 as Rest of India won by 238 runs. Yashasvi Jaiswal was named Player of the Match after scoring heavily in the contest.
2023-24 – Rest of India Beat Saurashtra
The 2023-24 edition was played in Rajkot between Saurashtra and Rest of India.
Rest of India won by 175 runs after dismissing Saurashtra for 214 and 79 around their own scores of 308 and 160. Saurabh Kumar was named Player of the Match.
2024-25 – Mumbai Win After a Draw
The 2024-25 Irani Cup was played at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow between Mumbai and Rest of India.
Mumbai scored 537 in its first innings, while Rest of India made 416. Mumbai then declared 329/8 in the second innings, but the match ended in a draw. Mumbai won the trophy because of its first-innings lead.
It was Mumbai’s 15th Irani Cup title and its first since the 1997-98 season. Sarfaraz Khan was named Player of the Match after scoring 222 in the first innings.
2025-26 – Vidarbha Win the Trophy
Vidarbha faced Rest of India in the 2025-26 edition at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur.
Vidarbha scored 342 in the first innings and 232 in the second, while Rest of India made 214 and 267. Vidarbha therefore won by 93 runs and claimed its third Irani Cup title. Atharva Taide was named Player of the Match.
2026-27 – Rest of India Beat Jammu and Kashmir
The latest Irani Cup was played from October 1 to 5, 2026, at the Sher-e-Kashmir Cricket Stadium in Srinagar. Jammu and Kashmir entered the match as the reigning Ranji Trophy champions, having won their maiden Ranji Trophy title.
Rest of India made 237 in the first innings, while Jammu and Kashmir replied with 278 to take a 41-run lead. Rest of India then scored 319 in the second innings, setting J&K a target of 279.
Jammu and Kashmir were bowled out for 111, giving Rest of India a 167-run victory and the Irani Trophy. Ravichandran Smaran was named Player of the Match after his important contributions with the bat, while Mukesh Kumar finished with 6/33 in the second innings and Akash Deep took 3/25.
The victory also gave Rest of India its first Irani Cup title since 2024.
Irani Trophy Most Successful Teams
Rest of India has dominated the competition throughout its history.
| Team | Titles |
| Rest of India | 31 outright + 2 shared |
| Mumbai/Bombay | 15 |
| Karnataka | 6 |
| Delhi | 2 outright + 1 shared |
| Railways | 2 |
| Vidarbha | 3 |
| Haryana | 1 |
| Hyderabad | 1 |
| Tamil Nadu | 1 |
Rest of India’s 2026-27 victory was its 31st outright championship, while the team has also shared the trophy twice. Mumbai has won 15 titles, and Karnataka has six.
Irani Trophy Format
The Irani Trophy is a single first-class match rather than a conventional multi-team tournament.
The match is played over a maximum of five days. One team is the reigning Ranji Trophy champion, while the other is a Rest of India XI selected from players across the domestic system.
For much of its history, the fixture was played at the start of the following domestic season. From 2013, the BCCI moved it to immediately after the Ranji Trophy final, bringing it closer to the original concept of the Ranji champions facing the best players from elsewhere in India.
Irani Trophy Venues
The Irani Cup has been played at major cricket grounds across India.
Past venues include the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai, Eden Gardens in Kolkata, M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur, the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur and the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow.
The 2026-27 edition took the competition to Srinagar for the first time, with the Sher-e-Kashmir Cricket Stadium hosting the match between Jammu and Kashmir and Rest of India.
Famous Players in the Irani Trophy
The competition has featured many players who went on to become major figures in Indian cricket.
Players such as Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev, Dilip Vengsarkar, Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Anil Kumble, Virender Sehwag, VVS Laxman and many other international cricketers have appeared in the fixture during different periods.
More recently, the Irani Cup has continued to feature players with India experience alongside leading domestic performers. The 2026-27 Rest of India squad included players such as Rishabh Pant, Sarfaraz Khan, Akash Deep and Mukesh Kumar.
Why the Irani Trophy Matters
The Irani Trophy remains important because it provides a direct contest between the Ranji Trophy champions and a selection of leading players from the rest of India’s domestic cricket system.
For established players, it offers another high-level first-class match. For emerging cricketers, selection for Rest of India can be a significant step because the squad often includes players competing for higher honours.
The fixture also gives the Ranji champions an opportunity to measure themselves against a team assembled from some of the strongest domestic players in the country.
Irani Trophy at a Glance
| Category | Details |
| Full Name | Z. R. Irani Trophy |
| Common Name | Irani Cup / Irani Trophy |
| Organiser | BCCI |
| Format | First-class |
| First Edition | 1959-60 |
| First Winner | Bombay |
| Participants | Ranji Trophy champions vs Rest of India |
| Most Successful | Rest of India |
| Rest of India Titles | 31 outright + 2 shared |
| Mumbai/Bombay Titles | 15 |
| Latest Champion | Rest of India |
| Latest Runner-up | Jammu and Kashmir |
| Latest Result | Rest of India won by 167 runs |
| Latest Venue | Sher-e-Kashmir Cricket Stadium, Srinagar |
| Latest Edition | 2026-27 |
FAQs
Q. When was the Irani Trophy started?
A. The first edition was played in the 1959-60 season.
Q. Who has won the most Irani Trophy titles?
A. Rest of India has won the most titles.
Q. Who won the Irani Trophy in 2026-27?
A. Rest of India defeated Jammu and Kashmir by 167 runs.
Q. Where was the 2026-27 Irani Trophy played?
A. It was played at the Sher-e-Kashmir Cricket Stadium in Srinagar.
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