BCCI appoints ex-national selectors to pick Bihar's teams

BCCI Brings Former National Selectors to Bihar as Ranji Trophy Season Nears

Who gets to wear Bihar’s jersey this season could now be decided by some of Indian cricket’s experienced selection hands.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has deputed a three-member selection committee to Bihar to pick the state’s squad for the upcoming Ranji Trophy 2026-27 season. The panel is headed by former India seamer Harvinder Singh and includes former first-class cricketers Sridharan Sharath and Amitabh Vijayvargiya.

The selectors have already reached Patna and begun identifying local talent at Moin-Ul-Haq Stadium. Meanwhile, another BCCI-appointed committee will select Bihar’s teams for the Under-16, Under-19 and Under-23 competitions.

Why the BCCI’s move matters for Bihar cricket

For young cricketers across Bihar, selection is often the moment when years of practice can turn into a real opportunity.

This time, the process has an added layer of national-level experience.

Harvinder Singh and Sridharan Sharath have both previously served as senior national selectors. Their presence puts experienced eyes on Bihar’s domestic talent as the new season approaches.

Importantly, the selectors are not only looking at established names. They have begun the work of identifying players who can form Bihar’s squads for the upcoming domestic competitions.

That could make the selection process especially important for emerging cricketers hoping to move up through Bihar’s cricket system.

Who will select Bihar’s Ranji Trophy team?

The senior selection panel has three members.

Harvinder Singh, a former India fast bowler, heads the committee. He is joined by Sridharan Sharath of Tamil Nadu and Amitabh Vijayvargiya of Madhya Pradesh, both former first-class cricketers.

Sharath also previously served as a junior chief selector, while Harvinder has worked as a senior national selector.

Now, their task is to identify the players who will represent Bihar in the Ranji Trophy Elite Group.

Bihar’s junior teams will also get a fresh selection panel

The BCCI has created another three-member committee for Bihar’s age-group teams.

The panel includes Harvinder Singh Sodhi, a former national junior selector, along with former Punjab all-rounder Krishan Mohan and former Gujarat wicketkeeper Pathik Patel.

The committee will select Bihar’s Under-16, Under-19 and Under-23 teams for BCCI tournaments.

This matters because the next generation of Bihar cricket will emerge from these age-group competitions. Therefore, the current selection process could influence the state’s talent pipeline for years to come.

The selectors have already started work in Patna

The selection process is not waiting for the Ranji Trophy opener.

According to the report, the selectors reached Patna on October 5 and began identifying local cricketers at Moin-Ul-Haq Stadium.

For aspiring players, that brings the selection process closer to the ground.

Instead of talent being judged only through names or past records, selectors now have an opportunity to watch players in the local cricket environment and assess who can make the step up.

Bihar enters the Ranji Trophy Elite Group

There is another important change this season.

Bihar has been promoted to the Ranji Trophy Elite Group, putting the team into a stronger domestic competition structure. Its opening match is against Uttar Pradesh on October 11 at Rajgir International Cricket Stadium.

Bihar’s other Elite Group A opponents are Baroda, Madhya Pradesh, Goa, Jammu & Kashmir, Vidarbha and Puducherry.

The move to the Elite Group means Bihar will face a demanding schedule against established domestic teams.

For players from the state, however, it also means a bigger stage to prove themselves.

Rajgir gets ready for Bihar’s opening match

The first Ranji Trophy match will carry significance beyond the scorecard.

Bihar will host Uttar Pradesh at the Rajgir International Cricket Stadium from October 11 to 14. The BCCI’s official match centre confirms the fixture and venue.

For Bihar cricket supporters, the match offers a chance to watch the state’s team begin its Elite Group campaign on home ground.

At the same time, the selection process now underway in Patna will determine which players get that opportunity.

A new opportunity for Bihar’s cricket talent

Bihar has a deep cricketing culture, with players competing across districts and local grounds for a chance to move into higher-level cricket.

The BCCI’s decision to bring experienced selectors into the process puts that talent under a more structured national-level lens.

However, selection is only the beginning.

The real test will come when Bihar’s players take on Elite Group opposition, starting with Uttar Pradesh in Rajgir. The performances on the field will ultimately decide how far this new chapter goes.

For young cricketers watching from Patna, Rajgir and districts across Bihar, the message is simple: the next opportunity could be much closer than it looks.

And with the Ranji Trophy beginning on October 11, Bihar’s next cricket story is about to move from selection rooms and practice grounds to the pitch.

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