Ranji Trophy, will make a much-anticipated return after two years amid the easing COVID-19 situation in the country, providing host of domestic cricketers an opportunity to make their name in red-ball cricket while giving veterans like Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara a final shot at resurrecting their Test careers. A third wave of COVID-19 had threatened the premier domestic event for the second year in a row but the drop in infections has allowed the BCCI to conduct the 38-team event, a massive logistical task in the new normal of bio-secure environments. All eyes will be on the opening fixture between defending champions Saurashtra and record 41-time champions Mumbai here with Rahane and Pujara on either side, aiming to make the big scores that have deserted them at the Test level for a while.