[2] However, in January 2021, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed that the season had been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

[4] Before the COVID-19 pandemic started, a change to the format of the tournament was submitted to the BCCI, splitting the elite teams into five groups, instead of three, therefore reducing the number of matches.

[5] However, in June 2020, the BCCI denied that any changes to the tournament's structure would be taking place.

[7] On 19 July 2020, the Times of India reported that the Ranji Trophy would be the only senior domestic cricket tournament to be played in the Indian 2020–21 cricket season,[8] with teams split into five zones, North, West, South, East and Central.

[17] An estimated 800 cricketers were impacted by the cancellation of the tournament, with each player due to be paid R140,000 per match.