Vidarbha cricket team

History

Vidarbha cricket team formerly known as Central Provinces and Berar played 15 first-class matches between 1933 and 1949, including 11 Ranji Trophy matches. As Vidarbha they first played first-class cricket in the 1957–58 season, competing against the other Central Zone teams until 2001-02, after which the Ranji Trophy was no longer contested on a zonal basis. Before the 2017-18 season, Vidarbha's best seasons were 1970-71 and 1995–96, when it reached the quarter-finals of the Ranji Trophy and 2002–03 and 2011–12, when it reached the semi-finals of the Plate Group. Up to the start of the 2017-18 season, Vidarbha had played 259 first-class matches, with 41 wins, 89 losses and 129 draws.

Vidarbha's main home ground was always the Vidarbha Cricket Association Ground in Nagpur until 2009, when it was superseded by the newly developed Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium at Jamtha in Nagpur.

Vidarbha's record score is 237 by Ganesh Satish against Andhra in 2019-20. The best bowling figures in an innings are 8 for 39 by Arun Ogiral against Madhya Pradesh in 1967-68, and the best bowling figures in a match are 13 for 162 by Akshay Wakhare against Gujarat in 2014-15.

Honours

• Ranji Trophy

  • Winners (3): 2017–18, 2018–19, 2024–25
  • Runners-up: 2023–24

• Irani Trophy

  • Winners (3): 2017–18, 2018–19, 2024-25

• Vijay Hazare Trophy

  • Runners-up (1): 2024–25
  • Winners (1): 2025–26

Notable past players

Main article: List of Vidarbha cricketers

Players from Vidarbha who have played Test cricket for India, along with year of Test debut:

• Umesh Yadav (2011)

Players from Vidarbha who have played ODI but not Test cricket for India, along with year of ODI debut :

• Prashant Vaidya (1995) (Also played for Bengal)
• Faiz Fazal (2016)

Players from Vidarbha who have played T20I bit not Test or ODI cricket for India, along with year of T20I debut :

• Jitesh Sharma (2023)

India Capped players from other states who have played for Vidarbha, along with year:

• Chandu Sarwate (1968)
• Lalchand Rajput (1996-1998)
• Hemang Badani (2011-2013)
• Sairaj Bahutule (2011-2012)
• Shiv Sunder Das (2011-2012)
• Subramaniam Badrinath (2014-2016)
• Wasim Jaffer (2015-2020)
• Ambati Rayudu (2017)
• Karn Sharma (2017-2018)
• Karun Nair (2023-2025)

Players

Main article: List of Vidarbha cricketers

Current squad

Coach: Usman Ghani

Players with international caps are listed in bold

Updated as on 15 November 2025

Coaching staff

• Head coach: Usman Ghani
• Batting coach: Yusuf Pathan
• Bowling coach: Subroto Banerjee
• Under-19s coach: Usman Ghani
• Video analyst: Aniruddha Deshpande
• Trainer: Amiykumar Mohanty
• Physio: Dr Niraj Karamchandani

References

References

1. (21 December 2017). "Ranji Trophy 2017: Rajneesh Gurbani's seven-for takes Vidarbha to maiden final". Indian Express.
2. (21 December 2017). "Gurbani seven-for books Vidarbha's maiden Ranji final berth". ESPN Cricinfo.
3. "Vidarbha crowned champions in maiden Ranji final". ESPN Cricinfo.
4. "Vidarbha's maiden Ranji title in 61 seasons". ESPN Cricinfo.
5. "Vidarbha playing record". CricketArchive.
6. "First-class matches played on Vidarbha Cricket Association Ground". CricketArchive.
7. Kishore, Shashank. (12 December 2019). "'Local' hero Ganesh Satish relishes Vidarbha leadership role". Cricinfo.
8. "Most wickets in an innings for Vidarbha". CricketArchive.
9. "Most wickets in a match for Vidarbha". CricketArchive.
10. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/ghani-coach-who-made-vidarbha-believe-again/articleshow/125354923.cms
11. [http://www.espncricinfo.com/india/content/story/561226.html Vijay Telang appointed Vidarbha coach]