BCCI announce changes to Indian cricket domestic structure

Sunday - 15/06/2025 06:16

The changes include Duleep Trophy reverting to zonal teams and only one promotion and relegation in the Ranji Trophy

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has unveiled significant changes to the Indian domestic cricket season, set to take effect from the 2025/26 season. Along with structural adjustments, the schedule for the upcoming season has also been released.

BCCI reveals changes to domestic cricket.

The BCCI announced several changes to the Indian cricket domestic structure © AFP

A key alteration involves the Duleep Trophy, which will revert to its original format featuring zonal teams selected by zonal selectors. This marks a departure from last year's format, which comprised four teams. In the Ranji Trophy, only one team will now be promoted or relegated between the Plate and Elite Groups.

The Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, India's premier domestic T20 competition, will introduce a Super League stage, replacing the traditional knockout phase. This means that the eight teams advancing from the group stage will be divided into two groups of four. Each team will then compete in three league matches within their respective group. The top team from each group will proceed to the final. This format change will also be implemented in the Senior Women's T20 Trophy.

The Vijay Hazare Trophy, Senior Women's One Day Trophy, and Men's U23 State A Trophy will adopt a revised grouping structure compared to the 2024/25 season. Previously, the Vijay Hazare Trophy consisted of three groups of eight teams and two groups of seven. Starting this year, these tournaments will feature four Elite Groups and a Plate Group. Teams have been assigned to their groups based on a ranking system considering factors such as points, wins, and Net Run Rate (NRR).

Teams with the lowest rankings across these categories will face automatic relegation to the Plate Group for the limited-overs tournaments in the upcoming season.

The domestic season is scheduled to commence on August 28, 2025, with the Duleep Trophy, and will conclude on April 3, 2026, with the Senior Women's Inter-Zonal Multi-Day Trophy, spanning just over five months.

Key Tournament Dates

Tournament	Start Date (League)	End Date (League)	Start Date (Knockout)	End Date (Knockout)
Duleep Trophy	NA	NA	28-Aug-25	15-Sep-25
Irani Cup	NA	NA	01-Oct-25	05-Oct-25
Ranji Trophy - Elite	15-Oct-25 to 19-Nov-25 (Phase 1)	22-Jan-26 to 01-Feb-26 (Phase 2)	06-Feb-26	28-Feb-26
Ranji Trophy - Plate	15-Oct-25	19-Nov-25	22-Jan-26	26-Jan-26
Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy - Elite	26-Nov-25	08-Dec-25	12-Dec-25	18-Dec-25
Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy - Plate	26-Nov-25	04-Dec-25	06-Dec-25	06-Dec-25
Vijay Hazare Trophy - Elite	24-Dec-25	08-Jan-26	12-Jan-26	18-Jan-26
Vijay Hazare Trophy - Plate	24-Dec-25	03-Jan-26	06-Jan-26	06-Jan-26
Senior Women's T20 Trophy - Elite	08-Oct-25	19-Oct-25	25-Oct-25	31-Oct-25
Senior Women's T20 Trophy - Plate	08-Oct-25	15-Oct-25	17-Oct-25	17-Oct-25
Senior Women's One Day Trophy - Elite	06-Feb-26	18-Feb-26	22-Feb-26	28-Feb-26
Senior Women's One Day Trophy - Plate	06-Feb-26	14-Feb-26	16-Feb-26	16-Feb-26