India’s domestic cricket season for 2025–26 has officially been announced by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), and it promises to be one of the most comprehensive and competitive cricketing calendars in recent memory. Spanning from 28 August 2025 to 3 April 2026, the season covers a wide spectrum of tournaments across senior men’s, women’s, and age-group categories. With revamped formats, elite zonal contests, and a structured progression from grassroots to top-tier cricket, the roadmap for India’s cricketing talent has never looked clearer.
Table of Contents
Season Overview
- Season Duration: 28 August 2025 – 3 April 2026
- Opening Tournament: Duleep Trophy (Men’s zonal elite)
- Closing Tournament: Senior Women’s Inter-Zonal Multi-Day Trophy
- Governing Body: BCCI
The 2025–26 calendar is not just about quantity—it’s about quality and progression, offering cricketers from under-16 levels all the way to elite professionals a pathway to the national stage.
Major Tournaments & Their Formats
Duleep Trophy
- Dates: 28 August – 15 September 2025
- Format: Zonal Knockouts
- Teams: North, South, East, West, Central, South-East
- Highlight: Return of elite zonal selection
- Significance: Scouting ground for national and A-team selections
Irani Cup
- Dates: 1 – 5 October 2025
- Venue: Nagpur
- Format: Rest of India vs Ranji Trophy Champions
- Narrative: A battle of supremacy and a reward for Ranji excellence
Ranji Trophy
- Phase 1: 15 October – 19 November 2025
- Phase 2: 22 January – 1 February 2026
- Teams: 38 (32 Elite + 6 Plate)
- Format: Round-robin → Quarter-finals → Semis → Final
- Highlight: Split-phase structure to ensure player workload balance
- Player Impact: Ranji performances fuel India A and senior call-ups
Vijay Hazare Trophy (50-over)
- Timeframe: November – December 2025
- Format: Octagon groups → Knockouts
- Highlight: Balanced group draw; focus on emerging all-format players
Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (T20)
- Timeframe: November – December 2025
- Format: Elite and Plate groups → Super League → Final
- Significance: India’s premier T20 domestic league; important for IPL scouting
Senior Women’s Inter-Zonal Multi-Day Trophy
- Timeframe: March – April 2026
- Teams: Top women zonal teams
- Format: Long-format matches to nurture red-ball depth in women’s cricket
- Highlight: Rising interest in red-ball women’s domestic cricket
Age-Group Tournaments (U‑16, U‑19, U‑23)
BCCI has extended the Elite + Plate structure to all age-group competitions. This move ensures:
- Promotion/Relegation system for long-term balance
- Equal opportunity for smaller state units
- Talent identification from grassroots to India U-19 squads
Chronological Tournament Summary
| Period | Tournament | Format |
|---|---|---|
| 28 Aug – 15 Sep | Duleep Trophy | Zonal Knockouts |
| 1 – 5 Oct | Irani Cup | Champion vs Rest of India |
| 15 Oct – 19 Nov | Ranji Trophy Phase 1 | Group League Stage |
| Nov – Dec | Vijay Hazare & SMAT | One-day & T20 Group Stages |
| 22 Jan – 1 Feb | Ranji Trophy Phase 2 | Knockout Stage |
| Mar – Apr | Women’s Inter-Zonal | Multi-Day Matches |
Exact match dates, venues, and fixture details are available on BCCI.tv and in official press documents.
What’s New in 2025–26?
✅ Zonal Selection Returns:
Both Duleep Trophy and Senior Women’s Challenger Trophy will rely on zonal squads—bringing back a traditional model that emphasizes regional performance and selectors’ involvement.
✅ Expanded Elite + Plate Format:
Every category—senior, junior, and women’s—adopts this format. It allows strong performances from Plate teams to be rewarded, while maintaining competitiveness among Elite divisions.
✅ Post-Pandemic Stability:
With the 2025–26 season, BCCI officially transitions to a post-COVID structured format, marking a return to consistent fixtures, tournament phases, and domestic scouting mechanisms.
Why This Season Truly Matters
Cricketing Pipeline
From U‑16 all the way to Rest of India selection, the domestic schedule ensures that no talent goes unnoticed. Age-group cricket is being treated with the same seriousness as the Ranji Trophy.
Competitive Rigor
Split-zonal formats in Duleep, group-stage knockouts in Ranji, and tiered systems in Mushtaq Ali and Hazare Trophies create meaningful rivalries, better match-readiness, and pressure-handling skills.
National Integration
Ranji Trophy success feeds directly into Irani Cup, while top SMAT and VHT players often get India A and IPL exposure, ensuring no performance is wasted.
Final Thoughts
India’s 2025–26 domestic season is not just a collection of tournaments—it’s a well-oiled talent engine built to sustain Indian cricket’s future. With zonal rivalries reignited, player performance pathways clarified, and competitive depth spread across regions, this is the season to watch.
Whether you’re a selector, a young aspirant, or a passionate fan, this cricketing year will deliver everything from epic Ranji contests to fast-paced T20 drama.
FAQs
Q1. When does India’s 2025–26 domestic cricket season start and end?
The season begins on 28 August 2025 with the Duleep Trophy and concludes on 3 April 2026 with the Senior Women’s Inter-Zonal Multi-Day Trophy.
Q2. Which are the major tournaments in India’s 2025–26 domestic season?
Key tournaments include the Duleep Trophy, Irani Cup, Ranji Trophy, Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT), Vijay Hazare Trophy, and Senior Women’s Inter-Zonal tournament. Age-group tournaments (U15, U19, U23) are also scheduled.
Q3. What is the format of the Ranji Trophy 2025–26?
The Ranji Trophy follows a two-phase format with 38 teams (32 Elite + 6 Plate). Phase 1 covers group stages (Oct–Nov), and Phase 2 includes knockouts (Jan–Feb).
Q4. What changes have been made to the domestic format for 2025–26?
BCCI reintroduced zonal selection for Duleep & women’s events, expanded the Elite + Plate format across age-groups, and added structural reforms to promote balanced competition.