According to a Cricbuzz report, the domestic season starts with the Duleep Trophy in Bengaluru from August 28 to September 15. The tournament is back to the inter-zonal format.
Matches will be played at the Centre of Excellence grounds in a knockout style. Six zones—South, Central, West, East, North and North East—will compete. After a season with a different structure, the tournament is back to the inter-zonal format.
South and West Zone are seeded into the semifinals. The quarterfinals are from August 28 to August 31. North Zone vs East Zone and Central Zone vs North East Zone.
Semifinals are from September 4 to September 7 and final is on September 11.
From 2016-17 to 2019-20, Duleep Trophy had teams—India A, B, C and D—picked by national selectors. Zonal format returned in 2022-23 but changed back to ABCD format in 2024. After a BCCI decision at the last AGM, the event is back to zonal format.
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The tournament was suspended for two seasons due to COVID-19.
After Duleep Trophy, Irani Cup starts on October 1. BCCI has assigned the tournament to Nagpur, says the report. Since Vidarbha are the current Ranji Trophy champions, it makes sense that the 5-day game between them and Rest of India will be at their home ground.
Karun Nair who is a part of Vidarbha’s title winning team has returned to Karnataka for the next season. But South Zone selectors did not pick him for the Duleep Trophy team.
First part of Ranji Trophy is from October 15 to November 19 and second part is from January 22 to February 7.
