The BCCI has announced the calendar for the Indian domestic cricket season 2024-25, with the Duleep Trophy being the first tournament to commence on September 5 in Anantpur. As previously reported, the Ranji Trophy will now be played in two phases, with a dedicated window provided for white-ball competitions.
The final of the prestigious Ranji Trophy is scheduled to take place in March 2025. Additionally, the BCCI has revealed plans to trial a new points system in the CK Nayudu Trophy (U-23 cricket). “This includes the attribution of points for batting and bowling prowess in the first innings, alongside points for securing the first innings lead or achieving an outright victory,” stated the BCCI.
The BCCI also indicated that this new points system could later be introduced in the Ranji Trophy after assessment. Furthermore, the tournament will witness the abolition of the toss, with the visiting team being given the choice to bat or field first.
The Syed Mushtaq Ali (T20 tournament) will now be played between November and December, closely followed by the Vijay Hazare Trophy, which is set to start in December and conclude in January before the resumption of the Ranji Trophy.
“To prioritize player welfare, an extended gap between matches has been incorporated, ensuring ample time for recovery and sustained peak performance,” said the BCCI statement.
For Women’s cricket, a significant addition is the return of the Challenger Trophy, where teams are handpicked by selectors. The Challenger Trophy was last played in the ODI format in 2021-22 and in the T20 format in 2022-23. The multi-day tournament, which was reintroduced in a zonal format in 2023-24, will now be played as a Challenger Trophy instead.
“All Women’s challenger tournaments, spanning one-day, T20, and multi-day formats, will witness teams selected by the national selectors,” stated the BCCI.