Zonal format returns for Duleep Trophy in 2025/26 domestic season as Plate Division has been reintroduced too.
Duleep Trophy returns to zonal format for 2025-26 domestic season.
On August 28, the Duleep Trophy will resume its traditional zonal format for the 2025–26 Indian domestic season.
The Apex Council of the BCCI approved a number of modifications on Saturday, including this one. Other significant choices include the establishment of a Plate Division for the domestic 50-overs competitions and the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, as well as the inclusion of a Super League phase in both the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy and the Senior Women’s T20 Trophy.
Four teams, India A, B, C, and D, were chosen by the national selectors before to a demanding Test season to compete for the Duleep Trophy last season. In a round-robin format, the top players in the nation competed in the competition. As was the case in the 2023–24 season, the tournament will resume a zonal structure beginning this season, with the relevant zone committees choosing the six squads (North, South, East, West, Central, and North-East).
According to a top BCCI official, the main goals of reintroducing the zonal system are to “give players a sense of pride in representing their zone, as opposed to the current system that only puts the focus on individual performances” and “foster a better standard of cricket.”
A Super League phase will be added following the group stage in the senior men’s (Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy) and women’s T20 competitions, which will have a new format.
The top two teams from each group will move on to the Super League after the first round, which will see 32 clubs split up into four groups of eight. Each team will play three games during this phase, and the top two teams advance to the championship game.
In a move of comparable importance, the BCCI has reinstated the plate division for all “major tournaments such as Men’s U-23 State Trophy, Senior Women’s One-Day Trophy, and Vijay Hazare Trophy.”
The Ranji Trophy will be divided into two stages, with the white-ball contests taking place in between, much like in 2024–2025. The main goal of this action is to reduce weather-related disruptions, especially in northern and eastern India.