Duleep Trophy to Open India’s 2026-27 Domestic Season as Ranji Trophy Returns in Two Phases

India’s 2026-27 domestic cricket calendar will begin with the prestigious Duleep Trophy on August 23, as the Board of Control for Cricket in India unveiled a packed schedule featuring 1788 matches across formats, categories and age groups.

The season will continue with the Irani Cup from October 1, where reigning Ranji Trophy champions Jammu & Kashmir cricket team will face a Rest of India side. Jammu & Kashmir head into the fixture after scripting history with their maiden Ranji Trophy triumph earlier this year.

The Ranji Trophy will once again follow a split-window format. The first phase will run between October and November 2026 before resuming in January and concluding in February 2027. Like last season, the competition will feature 32 teams in the Elite division and six teams in the Plate group.

Between the two Ranji phases, India’s premier white-ball domestic tournaments — the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and the Vijay Hazare Trophy — will take center stage.

The women’s domestic calendar will begin with the Senior Women’s T20 Trophy during October-November, followed by inter-zonal and one-day competitions stretching into February. Meanwhile, age-group tournaments for girls will be held from November to January.

A notable addition this season is a special fixture involving the winners of the Under-23 CK Nayudu Trophy against a Rest of India squad, aimed at providing greater exposure to emerging players. The Men’s U-23 State A Trophy and the Vizzy Trophy have also been converted into T20 competitions.

The BCCI stated that the revised structure is designed to strengthen India’s domestic ecosystem while maintaining balanced development across formats and age groups.

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