BCCI Domestic Season 2025-26: Key dates, fixtures and schedule

The BCCI has announced the schedule for the new BCCI domestic season 2025-26. BCCI not only announced the schedule for domestic tournaments, but also announced changes to the format of several key tournaments, including the Ranji Trophy.

The BCCI domestic season 2025-26 has been started with the Duleep Trophy beginning on August 28 and extended till September 15.

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Changes in Ranji Trophy

The 2025-26 Ranji Trophy will be held in two phases from October 15 to February 28. Significantly, two Plate Group teams will be changed this time. Till now, two teams were promoted and relegated from the Plate Group, but now only one team will be promoted to the Elite Division and one team will be sent to the Plate Division.

The BCCI added nine new teams to the Ranji Trophy in 2018-19, including states from the Northeast. However, this decision impacted the quality of cricket in the tournament. Meghalaya played in the Elite Division last season but lost all of its matches.

To address this, the Ranji Trophy format has been modified. The BCCI has decided to implement the same promotion and relegation system for all senior and junior multi-day tournaments starting in the 2026-27 season. This decision has been taken with the aim of maintaining competition in Indian domestic cricket and improving the quality of teams.

Zonal format returns to Duleep Trophy

Before the Ranji Trophy, the domestic season has been with the Duleep Trophy, which played from August 28 to September 15. It held in a zonal format. Players selected by a zonal selection committee.

The Irani Cup will be played from October 1 to 5. India's premier domestic T20 competition, the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, will be held from November 26 to December 18. The Plate Division has also been reintroduced in this tournament.

Changes in SMAT

This season, teams will play three additional matches in the Super League round, along with the quarter-finals and semi-finals. The top teams from Group A and Group B will meet in the final.

Meanwhile, the six weakest teams from last season will play in the Plate Group. The BCCI also clarified that in all white-ball tournaments, the advancement of teams tied in the group stage will now be determined based on net run rate (NRR).

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BCCI Domestic Season 2025-26 | Schedule

Duleep Trophy - August 28 to September 15
Irani Cup - October 1 to 5
Ranji Trophy (Elite) Phase 1 - October 15 to November 19
Ranji Trophy (Elite) Phase 2 - January 22, 2026 to February 1
Ranji Trophy Knockouts - February 6 to February 29
Ranji Trophy (Plate League) - October 15 to November 19
Ranji Trophy (Plate final) - January 22, 2026 to January 26
Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (Elite) - November 26 to December 18
Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (Plate) - November 26 to December 6
Vijay Hazare Trophy (Elite) - December 24 to January 18
Vijay Hazare Trophy (Plate) - December 24 to January 6
Vinoo Mankad Trophy - October 9 to November 1 (Elite), October 9 to October 19 (Plate)
Col CK Nayudu Trophy (Elite) - October 16 to November 5 (Phase 1), January 23 to February 2 (Phase 2), February 21 to March 12 (Knockouts)
Col CK Nayudu Trophy (Plate) - October 16 to November 5 (Phase 1), January 23 to February 2 (Phase 2), February 6 to 9 (Final)
Men’s U19 One Day Challenger Trophy - November 5 to 11
Men’s U23 State A Trophy - November 9 to December 1 (Elite), November 9 to November 19 (Plate)
Cooch Behar Trophy - November 16 to January 20 (Elite), November 16 to December 27 (Plate)
Vijay Merchant Trophy - December 7 to January 28 (Elite), December 7 to January 7 (Plate)
Vizzy Trophy - March 1 to 7

Women’s fixtures:

Senior Women’s T20 Trophy - October 8 to October 31 (Elite), October 8 to 17 (Plate)
Senior Women’s One Day trophy - February 6 to February 28 (Elite), February 6 to 16 (Plate)
Women’s U19 T20 Trophy - October 26 to November 12 (Elite), October 26 to November 4 (Plate)
Senior Women’s Interzonal T20 Trophy - November 4 to 14
Women’s U23 T20 Trophy - November 24 to December 11 (Elite), November 24 to December 3 (Plate)
Women’s U19 One Day trophy - December 13 to January 1 (Elite), December 13 to December 23 (Plate)
Women’s U15 One Day trophy - January 2 to 21 (Elite), January 2 to 12 (Plate)
Women’s U23 One Day trophy - March 3 to 22 (Elite), March 3 to 13 (Plate)
Senior Women’s Interzonal One Day trophy - March 5 to 15
Senior Women’s Interzonal Multi Day trophy - March 20 to April 3