The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced a series of significant changes to the structure and rules of its domestic cricket season, set to be implemented from the 2025-26 calendar. Following an Apex Council meeting, the board revealed key adjustments aimed at refining competition across all formats, with major tournaments like the Ranji Trophy, Duleep Trophy, and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy undergoing notable transformations. The upcoming season is scheduled to kick off on August 28, 2025, and will conclude on April 3, 2026.
One of the most crucial changes affects India's premier red-ball tournament, the Ranji Trophy. The promotion and relegation system between the Elite and Plate groups will now be stricter, with only one team moving between the divisions, as opposed to the previous rule of two. This adjustment will also apply to all other red-ball domestic tournaments across various age groups. In another major move, the Duleep Trophy will revert to its traditional zonal format. The squads for this tournament will now be selected by their respective zonal committees, shifting the responsibility away from the national selection committee.
The domestic T20 competitions are also set for a major overhaul with the introduction of a new Super League stage for both the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and the Senior Women’s T20 Trophy. Under the new format, the top eight teams qualifying from the group stage will be split into two groups of four. The teams will play three matches within their group, and the two table-toppers will advance directly to the final, replacing the previous knockout system.
Several changes have also been implemented for the white-ball formats. The Plate division has been reintroduced for all one-day competitions, including the Vijay Hazare Trophy and the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, and will comprise the six lowest-ranked teams from the previous season. A significant rule tweak will now see Net Run Rate (NRR) become the primary tie-breaker in all white-ball tournaments if teams are level on points, replacing the previous head-to-head clause.
Furthermore, the grouping structure for major one-day tournaments like the Vijay Hazare Trophy, Senior Women's One Day Trophy, and the Men's U23 State A Trophy has been simplified. Instead of the complex multi-group format from last season, these competitions will now feature four Elite Groups and one Plate Group. Teams have been allocated to these groups based on their rankings determined by points, wins, and NRR from the previous season.