BCCI secretary Jay Shah is busy "contemplating" whether a red-ball tournament (preferably the Ranji Trophy) is possible this season. It is in this regard that he has approached state associations for viable solutions and is likely to arrive at a decision very soon, after a consensus has been reached.

It is being perceived that when the Apex Council of the BCCI last met on January 17, the discussions bordered around the hosting of the Vijay Hazare one-day tournament, along with a T20 tournament for women cricketers. However, Shah is keen on receiving another round of suggestions and wants to look at all the options available before taking a final call.

The Ranji, said those in the know, isn't 'viable', simply because the logistics involved in bringing 38 teams together to play four-day matches would require a very large bubble, more time and appropriate mechanisms. Shah was learnt to have told the Apex Council that he would approach the members for their "suggestions" and would "try his best" to see if any red-ball cricket was possible.

Certain members, it seems, are not averse to the idea, provided adequate precautionary measures are put in place. "Red-ball cricket will give the domestic circuit a sense of security at different levels. Firstly, it's a source of income (BCCI will anyway look to compensate players, regardless of the Ranji); Second, every season of red-ball cricket does wonders in terms of discovering talent and providing opportunities. So, that's something the players look forward to. The secretary is working on these aspects," say those tracking developments.

However, the hosting of Ranji is easier said than done. Last discussed, the idea was to do away with the tournament for this season altogether, conduct the Vijay Hazare, after Mushtaq Ali - considering there's a lot of white-ball cricket coming up at the international level - and plan for a comprehensive domestic calendar in the coming season.

"It'll be interesting to see what the BCCI does here. Hosting the Ranji will have its pros and cons. The BCCI can't say it'll build a bio-bubble for international cricket but not for domestic cricket. And building a bio-bubble for a tournament like the Ranji will be elaborate, time-consuming and expensive. It's a wait and watch," say those tracking developments.

Regardless of the decision, sources say players will be monetarily compensated for the season. It must be added though that the majority is still in favour of restricting this season's domestic cricket to white-ball matches only.

(With inputs from agencies)