Duleep Trophy to kick off the season as BCCI unveils massive 2026-27 domestic calendar

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The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced an extensive domestic schedule for the 2026-27 season, reinforcing its commitment to strengthening the country’s cricketing pipeline. A total of 1,788 matches will be played across men’s and women’s competitions, covering senior cricket along with U-23, U-19 and U-16 categories. The packed calendar will run from August 2026 to March 2027 and includes several important changes aimed at improving competition standards and player development.

The domestic season will officially begin with the prestigious Duleep Trophy on August 23 at the Centre of Excellence and conclude in March 2027 after the final stages of the Ranji Trophy.

India’s premier first-class tournament, the Ranji Trophy, will continue with its split-phase structure that was introduced in recent seasons. The league phase is set to begin on October 11 before pausing for the white-ball competitions later in the year. The tournament will resume in January, with knockout matches scheduled from February 9 to March 3.

The format remains unchanged, featuring 32 teams divided into four Elite groups of eight teams each, while six sides will battle in the Plate division. The top two teams from each Elite group will directly qualify for the quarter-finals.

Defending champions Jammu & Kashmir headline Elite Group A alongside Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha and Uttar Pradesh. Elite Group B features strong sides like Karnataka, Andhra and Saurashtra, while Bengal, Maharashtra and Kerala form a competitive Elite Group C. Mumbai, Haryana, Tamil Nadu and Rajasthan are placed in Elite Group D.

Before the Ranji Trophy begins, the Irani Cup will be played from October 1 to 5 in Srinagar or Jammu, adding further significance to the red-ball calendar.

One of the biggest highlights of the newly released calendar is the return of the Col. C.K. Nayudu Trophy Winners vs Rest of India fixture. The match, scheduled from October 1 to 4 in Chennai under the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA), is making a comeback after a lengthy absence.

The BCCI believes the fixture will offer valuable exposure to emerging U-23 players and provide them with experience in high-pressure, elite domestic cricket.

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In a notable move, the Men’s U-23 State A Trophy and the Vizzy Trophy have both been converted into T20 tournaments instead of one-day events. The decision reflects the growing importance of the shortest format and the board’s effort to prepare young cricketers for modern-day demands.

The Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy will be played from November 14 to December 6. Mumbai, Visakhapatnam, Kolkata and Mohali will host the league phase, while Nagpur has been selected for the knockout matches.

The tournament will continue with the Super League format. Teams such as Jharkhand, Rajasthan, Bengal and Karnataka headline Elite Group A, while Haryana, Punjab, Delhi and Tamil Nadu feature in Elite Group B.

Meanwhile, the Vijay Hazare Trophy is scheduled from December 14 to January 8. Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Ranchi and Rajkot will host league matches, with Visakhapatnam staging the knockouts.

The BCCI has also adjusted the scheduling of junior tournaments. The Vijay Merchant Trophy for the U-16 category has been shifted to the November-January window to improve preparation time for young players.

Another significant change concerns the Cooch Behar Trophy knockouts. Instead of home venues, all knockout matches of the U-19 red-ball competition will now be held in Bengaluru and Mysuru. The move is aimed at ensuring fairer playing conditions during the winter months, when weather conditions vary considerably across different regions of India.

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