The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has unveiled significant changes to India’s domestic cricket structure, effective from the 2025/26 season, alongside the release of the upcoming season’s schedule. These modifications aim to enhance competitiveness and provide a more robust platform for emerging talent.
Key Changes to Domestic Tournaments
Duleep Trophy: The Duleep Trophy returns to a zonal format, where teams will be selected by zonal selectors. This reverses last year’s arrangement involving four teams based on Indian offshoots.
Ranji Trophy: The promotion and relegation system in the Ranji Trophy has been revised, with only one team moving between the Plate and Elite Groups each season, simplifying the structure.
Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy: India’s premier domestic T20 competition introduces a Super League stage, replacing the traditional knockout format. Eight qualifying teams will form two groups, playing three matches each. Group winners will compete in the final, an approach also mirrored in the Senior Women’s T20 Trophy.
Vijay Hazare and Other Limited-Overs Tournaments: The Vijay Hazare Trophy, Senior Women’s One-Day Trophy, and Men’s U23 State A Trophy now feature a new grouping system. These tournaments will now consist of four Elite Groups and a Plate Group. Teams have been ranked based on points, wins, and Net Run Rate (NRR), with lower-ranked teams relegated to the Plate Group.
Domestic Season Schedule (2025/26)
| 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) | NA | 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 |
New Zealand Tour of India Schedule (2026)
| Match | Date | Venue | Time |
| 1st ODI | 11-Jan-26 | Baroda | 1:30 PM |
| 2nd ODI | 14-Jan-26 | Rajkot | 1:30 PM |
| 3rd ODI | 18-Jan-26 | Indore | 1:30 PM |
| 1st T20I | 21-Jan-26 | Nagpur | 7:00 PM |
| 2nd T20I | 23-Jan-26 | Raipur | 7:00 PM |
| 3rd T20I | 25-Jan-26 | Guwahati | 7:00 PM |
| 4th T20I | 28-Jan-26 | Vizag | 7:00 PM |
| 5th T20I | 31-Jan-26 | Trivandrum | 7:00 PM |
