RANJI TROPHY | Punjab should relish opening its campaign against Assam
Punjab is preparing to face Assam in their opening match of the 2026-27 Ranji Trophy season at the New PCA Stadium. The Punjab team features a revamped squad with a new head coach and a focus on young talent, while Assam enters the season with its core roster intact.
Why it matters
The Ranji Trophy is India's premier domestic cricket tournament and a key pathway for players to reach the national team.
In a group that features Saurashtra, Andhra, and Karnataka, a revamped Punjab will have no qualms in kicking off its Ranji Trophy 2026-27 season against Assam at the New PCA Stadium here, starting Sunday.
Assam picked just three points last season and barely avoided a drop to the Plate division, making it the ideal team to face for a newly-assembled unit.
Besides roping in a new head coach in Amit Uniyal, Punjab has placed its bets on a young batting core. International commitments keep Prabhsimran Singh and Naman Dhir out of the first two rounds, and their absence will be another chance for Harnoor Singh Pannu to establish his credentials. The southpaw opener struck 170 against Kerala on his Punjab debut last season but ended with a slew of middling scores.
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