BCCI announce 2026-27 domestic schedule; Ranji Trophy begins on October 11, groups revealed

BCCI has released the domestic cricket calendar for the 2026-27 season. The officials mapped out an expansive schedule that stretches across age groups, formats and both genders. The upcoming season will feature 1,788 matches, making it one of the busiest domestic programmes in recent years.

The action will begin in late August, when the Duleep Trophy campaign begins on August 23. The traditional zonal competition will once again be played in the longer format and involve six teams. The Irani Cup is scheduled to follow on October 1 as the domestic red-ball circuit gathers momentum.

India’s premier first-class competition, the Ranji Trophy, will continue with its split-season arrangement. The board has retained the two-phase structure in an effort to balance workload management and recovery periods while preserving the emphasis on multi-day cricket. The Col. C. K. Nayudu Trophy will also follow the same scheduling pattern.

The Ranji Trophy Elite division will feature 32 sides grouped into four pools, while six teams will compete in the Plate section. 

Changes in white-ball tournaments

Changes have also been introduced in the white-ball pathway. The Men’s U23 State A Trophy and the Vizzy Trophy will no longer be played as one-day tournaments. Both competitions have now been converted into T20 events.

Another adjustment concerns the Cooch Behar Trophy. The knockout matches in the Elite category are set to be held in Bengaluru and Mysuru during January. The move is intended to provide more even playing conditions for teams during the decisive phase of the tournament.

Scheduling alterations have additionally been made to the Vijay Merchant Trophy. The competition has been moved earlier in the season and will now run from November through January. The revised window is expected to assist with planning and preparation for participating players and teams.

The season calendar covers competitions in Senior, U23, U19 and U16 men’s cricket, while the women’s programme includes tournaments in the Senior, U23, U19 and U15 age categories. 

Major men’s competitions for 2026/27

1. Duleep Trophy – August 23 to September 10 – Bengaluru

2. Irani Cup – October 1 to October 5 – Jammu/Srinagar
3. Ranji Trophy – October 11 to November 5
4. Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy – November 14 to December 6 (knockouts from November 30) – Mumbai, Visakhapatnam, Kolkata, Mohali, Nagpur (knockouts only)
5. Vijay Hazare Trophy – December 14 to January 8 (knockouts from January 2) – Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Ranchi, Rajkot, Visakhapatnam (knockouts only)
6. Ranji Trophy (second leg) – January 17 to February 4
7. Ranji Trophy (knockouts) – February 9 to March 3

Major women’s competitions for 2026/27

1. Senior Women’s T20 Trophy – October 26 to November 20 (knockouts from November 14) – Lucknow, Pune, Delhi, Mohali, Ahmedabad (knockouts only)
2. Senior Women’s Inter-Zonal T20 Trophy – November 24 to December 4 – Guwahati
3. Senior Women’s One-Day Trophy – December 19 to January 10 (knockouts from January 4) – Cuttack, Jaipur, Baroda, Raipur, Chennai (knockouts only)
4. Senior Women’s Inter-Zonal One-Day Trophy – February 17 to February 27 – Chennai
5. Senior Women’s Inter-Zonal Multi-Day Trophy – March 13 to March 28 – Dehradun

Ranji Trophy groups

Elite A

Elite B

Elite C

Elite D

Plate

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