The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) It has announced an expansive domestic schedule for the 2026-27 season, reinforcing its commitment to strengthening the country’s cricket pipeline. A total of 1,788 matches will be played in the men’s and women’s competitions, which include senior cricket along with the U-23, U-19 and U-16 categories. The packed calendar will run from August 2026 to March 2027 and includes a number of significant changes to competition standards and player development.
The domestic season will officially begin with the prestigious Duleep Trophy It will be held on August 23 at the Center of Excellence and will conclude in March 2027 after the final stages of the Ranji Trophy.
Ranji Trophy retains the split phase format
India’s first-class first-class tournament Ranji Trophywill continue with the split-phase structure introduced in recent seasons. The league stage will begin on October 11 before taking a break from the white-ball competition at the end of the year. The tournament will continue in January, playoff matches are scheduled from February 9 to March 3.
The format remains unchanged, with 32 teams divided into four Elite groups of eight teams each, with six sides competing in the Plate division. The top two teams from each Elite group will qualify directly for the quarterfinals.
Defending champions Jammu and Kashmir Elite Group A with Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha and Uttar Pradesh. Elite Group B features strong sides Karnataka, Andhra and Saurashtra, while Bengal, Maharashtra and Kerala make up the competitive Elite Group C. Mumbai, Haryana, Tamil Nadu and Rajasthan are in Elite Group D.
Before the start of the Ranji Trophy, the Irani Cup will be played in either Srinagar or Jammu from October 1 to 5, giving more weight to the red-ball calendar.
The CK Nayudu Trophy fixture makes a much awaited comeback
One of the biggest highlights of the newly released schedule is the return of the Colonel CK Nayudu Trophy Winners vs Rest of India match. Scheduled to be held in Chennai from October 1 to 4 under the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA), the match returns after a long hiatus.
The BCCI believes that the fixture will provide valuable exposure to developing U-23 players and give them experience in high-pressure, elite domestic cricket.
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Major changes in white ball competitions
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 efforts to prepare young cricketers for the demands of the modern era.
The Syed Mushtaq Ali trophy It will be played from November 14 to December 6. Mumbai, Visakhapatnam, Kolkata and Mohali will host the league stage, while Nagpur has been selected for the play-off matches.
The tournament will continue with the Super League format. Teams like Jharkhand, Rajasthan, Bengal and Karnataka lead Elite Group A while Haryana, Punjab, Delhi and Tamil Nadu are in Elite B Group.
Meanwhile, Vijay Hazare trophy It is scheduled from December 14 to January 8. Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Ranchi and Rajkot will host the league matches, while Visakhapatnam will host the playoffs.
Focus on young cricket and balanced conditions
BCCI also made amendments to the schedule of tournaments among juniors. The Vijay Merchant Cup The U-16 category has been moved to the November-January window to improve preparation time for young players.
Another important change is related Cooch Behar Trophy knockouts. Instead of home grounds, all the knockout matches of the U-19 red ball competition will now be played in Bangalore and Mysuru. The move is aimed at ensuring fairer playing conditions during the winter months when weather conditions vary significantly in different parts of India.
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