The Board of Control for Cricket in India may consider shifting the fourth Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2027 away from Ranchi. The five-match series between India and Australia is scheduled from January 21 to March 3, 2027, across five venues: Nagpur, Chennai, Guwahati, Ranchi and Ahmedabad.
The fourth Test is currently slated for February 19-23 in Ranchi, with a start time of 9:30 AM IST. According to a report by Sportskeeda on September 18, 2026, India’s team management has requested the BCCI to shift this fixture out of Ranchi. The concern centres on early sunsets in the city during January and February, which could reduce playing time and make it difficult to complete the mandatory 90 overs per day.
As of September 18, 2026, Ranchi remains on the official BCCI schedule. Any change to the venue depends entirely on the BCCI’s final decision, which has not yet been announced.
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Why is the team management concerned about Ranchi?
India’s team management flagged the issue of limited daylight in Ranchi during the winter months. The concern is that the early arrival of evening in January and February could cut short playing sessions and affect the completion of a full day’s play across the five-day Test.
This concern is backed by a recent precedent. During India’s home Test series against South Africa in 2025, lighting issues were reported at eastern venues Kolkata and Guwahati, where stumps were called earlier than intended. In the Guwahati Test specifically, the teams were unable to complete 90 overs in a day despite an earlier start time being arranged.
“The team management has raised this issue with the BCCI that due to the early sunset in Ranchi during January-February, evening arrives prematurely. In such a situation, there could be a reduction in playing time during the Test match due to lack of lighting, and it might be difficult to complete the mandatory 90 overs per day,” the report read as quoted by Outlook.
Will Guwahati retain its Test and what is the series context?
The third Test of the series is scheduled for February 11-15 in Guwahati, with a start time of 9:00 AM IST. Despite Guwahati being an eastern city with similar daylight constraints, reports suggest the fixture there is expected to remain in place, with only a possible minor adjustment to the start time to maximise available daylight.
“A minor change in the start time of the Test in Guwahati is also possible. BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia is from Assam, and the program to host the Test in Guwahati is likely to remain intact for now,” the report added.
The remaining schedule has the first Test in Nagpur from January 21-25, the second Test in Chennai from January 29 to February 2, and the fifth Test in Ahmedabad from February 27 to March 3, 2027. All four of those Tests carry a 9:30 AM IST start time. The Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2027 forms part of India’s final assignment in the 2025-27 World Test Championship cycle, adding further significance to the smooth conduct of all five matches.
