The Tamil Nadu cricket team is the men's first-class cricket side representing the Indian state of Tamil Nadu in domestic competitions organised by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). The team is administered by the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA), headquartered in Chennai. It competes in the Ranji Trophy, the Vijay Hazare Trophy (List A), the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (Twenty20), and the Duleep Trophy through zonal selection.
Historically known as Madras until the state was renamed Tamil Nadu in 1969, the team has been one of the founding participants of Indian domestic cricket and has produced several India internationals.
| Founded | 1934 (as Madras), competing since the inaugural Ranji Trophy season 1934–35 |
|---|---|
| Governing body | Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) |
| Home ground | M. A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chepauk, Chennai |
| Other venues | MRF Pace Foundation grounds; ICL Ground; SNR College Ground, Coimbatore; IIT Chennai ground; various TNCA league grounds |
| Zone | South Zone |
| Ranji Trophy titles | 2 (1954–55 as Madras; 1987–88 as Tamil Nadu) |
| Vijay Hazare Trophy titles | Multiple, including 2009–10 and 2020–21 |
| Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy titles | Multiple, including 2006–07 and 2020–21 |
| Renamed | From "Madras" to "Tamil Nadu" following the state's renaming in 1969 |
Organised cricket in the Madras Presidency dates to the 19th century, with the Madras Cricket Club founded in 1846 being among the oldest clubs in India. The TNCA, established in 1930, became the regional body that fielded the side in the inaugural Ranji Trophy in 1934–35. Madras reached the final in the very first Ranji season but lost to Bombay.
The state association also runs the long-running TNCA First Division League in Chennai, which has served as a feeder competition for state and India players.
Tamil Nadu has supplied numerous cricketers to the India national side, including:
The team's principal home venue is the M. A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chepauk, Chennai, one of the oldest international cricket grounds in India and the headquarters of the TNCA. Domestic matches are also played at TNCA-affiliated grounds in Chennai and at venues in Coimbatore, Tiruchirappalli, Salem, and Dindigul.
Tamil Nadu is regarded as one of the strongest centres of Indian domestic cricket, with a deep club structure rooted in the TNCA league, institutional sides such as those of Indian Bank, India Cements, and the Railways, and a long pipeline of spin and batting talent. The state's cricketing culture, centred on Chepauk, has shaped Indian cricket administratively as well, with TNCA officials frequently holding senior positions in the BCCI.