Tamil Nadu have won the Ranji Trophy twice, in 1954-55 as Madras and in 1987-88, and have finished runners-up far more often. By the BCCI’s count at the 2011-12 final, the state had reached 11 finals, won two and lost nine. The 2026-27 season is now under way, and Tamil Nadu have started their home matches at Chepauk with an innings win.
This guide pulls together the title wins, the finals that got away, Tamil Nadu’s record in the white-ball national tournaments, and what is happening in the current Ranji season. Club and league cricket under the TNCA is a separate story and is not covered here.
The two Ranji titles
1954-55: Madras beat Holkar
The first title came at Indore, where Madras beat a strong Holkar side by 46 runs in the final. The BCCI’s preview of the 2011-12 final names Balu Alaganan as the captain. Holkar were a powerful team of that era, which is why the win is still described as an upset.
1987-88: 709 against Railways
The second title took more than three decades. Tamil Nadu met Railways in the final at Chepauk and piled up 709 all out, which Madras Musings records as the state’s highest Ranji total. Railways were bowled out for 317 and 248, and Tamil Nadu won by an innings and 144 runs, with the match ending on 30 March 1988. S. Vasudevan led the side because K. Srikkanth was away on national duty. Before that season, according to the same account, Tamil Nadu had lost all 12 of their matches against Bombay and all five against Delhi.
The finals that got away
Tamil Nadu’s long list of near misses is a big part of the team’s story. Bombay beat them in the finals of 1967-68 and 1972-73. Karnataka won the 1995-96 final in Chennai, with a young Rahul Dravid scoring a hundred, as V Ramnarayan recalled in a 2016 ESPNcricinfo feature on the rivalry between the two southern sides. In 2003-04, Mumbai took the trophy on first-innings lead at Chepauk.
The most recent final at home came in January 2012. Rajasthan, the defending champions, batted Tamil Nadu out of the match. Vineet Saxena’s 257 underpinned a first-innings total of 621, and the BCCI’s stats notes confirm that Rajasthan won on first-innings lead. That defeat took Tamil Nadu’s finals record to played 11, won 2, runners-up 9. Ramnarayan’s feature also recalls a heavy 2014-15 defeat to Karnataka, by an innings and 217 runs.
| Season | Result | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| 1954-55 | Champions, beat Holkar by 46 runs | Indore |
| 1987-88 | Champions, beat Railways by an innings and 144 runs | Chepauk |
| 1995-96 | Runners-up to Karnataka | Chennai |
| 2003-04 | Runners-up to Mumbai, on first innings | Chepauk |
| 2011-12 | Runners-up to Rajasthan, on first innings | Chepauk |
Better luck in white-ball cricket
Tamil Nadu have been far more successful in the shorter national formats. In the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, the domestic T20 competition, they have won three titles: 2006-07, 2020-21 and 2021-22. The third came on 22 November 2021 at Delhi’s Arun Jaitley Stadium, where Shahrukh Khan hit a six off the final ball to beat Karnataka by four wickets. That made Tamil Nadu the most successful side in the tournament’s history at the time.
Vijay Shankar, who captained that side, told DT Next it was his third trophy as captain, after the 2016-17 Vijay Hazare Trophy (the 50-over national championship) and the Deodhar Trophy in the same season.
The 2026-27 Ranji season so far
The new season began on 11 October 2026 with 38 teams split into four Elite groups and a Plate group, according to an Outlook India season guide. The Ranji rounds are split into two phases, with the Syed Mushtaq Ali and Vijay Hazare competitions played in between. Jammu and Kashmir are the defending champions after beating Karnataka in the 2025-26 final.
Tamil Nadu are in Elite Group D with Mumbai, Rajasthan, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Railways and Chandigarh. R. Sai Kishore is captain, and the 16-man squad includes wicketkeeper N. Jagadeesan, Washington Sundar, Pradosh Ranjan Paul, Andre Siddarth, Vimal Khumar and Sonu Yadav.
The home campaign started strongly. In round two, played from 18 to 21 October at Chepauk, Tamil Nadu bowled Uttarakhand out for 134 and 113 and won by an innings and 66 runs. The BCCI’s round summary credits Pradosh Ranjan Paul’s 136, which earned him Player of the Match, and Sai Kishore’s hat-trick in a ten-wicket match haul.
- Round 3: Tamil Nadu vs Railways, 26 to 29 October, M. A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai
- Round 4: Chandigarh vs Tamil Nadu, 2 to 5 November, Sector 16 Stadium, Chandigarh
First-class matches at Chepauk usually draw small crowds, which makes them a relaxed way to watch state players up close. Check the BCCI domestic pages for start times and any changes before you go.
Quick answers
How many times have Tamil Nadu won the Ranji Trophy?
Twice: 1954-55 (as Madras) and 1987-88.
Who captained Tamil Nadu to the 1987-88 title?
S. Vasudevan, standing in for K. Srikkanth, who was on national duty.
Who is Tamil Nadu’s captain in 2026-27?
R. Sai Kishore, according to the squad list published at the start of the season.
When is Tamil Nadu’s next home Ranji match?
Against Railways at Chepauk from 26 October 2026.
Information checked against official sources on 23 October 2026. Fees, dates and rules can change; confirm on the linked official pages before acting.
Sources
- Chennai to host 78th Ranji final starting Jan 19 (BCCI)
- Stats highlights: Ranji final TN v Raj (BCCI)
- Ranji Trophy 2026-27: Round 2 Summary (BCCI)
- When TN’s long wait for the Ranji Trophy ended (Madras Musings)
- Karnataka vs Tamil Nadu rivalry feature by V Ramnarayan (ESPNcricinfo)
- Shahrukh Khan’s late heroics help Tamil Nadu retain Syed Mushtaq Ali title (The Quint)
- V and V combine for TN victory (DT Next)
- Ranji Trophy 2026-27 guide: teams, groups, schedule, squads (Outlook India)
