India's 2026/27 domestic cricket schedule: All we know
What's the story
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has unveiled the schedule for the 2026/27 domestic cricket season. The action will begin with the men's Duleep Trophy from August 23. The First-Class competition will feature six zonal teams. The tournament will be followed by the Irani Cup, where the Ranji Trophy defending champions will take on a Rest of India team. It will begin on October 1.
Tournament details
Ranji Trophy to be played in two phases
The Ranji Trophy and the Under-23 Col CK Nayudu Trophy will continue in a two-phase format. The Ranji Trophy first phase will be played between October and November 2026, with the second phase starting in January and running till February. The Ranji Trophy Elite Group will have 32 teams across four groups, with the Plate Group comprising six teams. The Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (T20) and the Vijay Hazare Trophy (List A) will also be held during this period.
Women's tournaments
Women's domestic season
The women's domestic season will start with the Senior Women's T20 Trophy from October to November. This will be followed by the Senior Women's Inter-Zonal Trophy, the Senior Women's One-Day Trophy, and the Senior Women's Inter-Zonal One-Day Trophy. The one-day tournaments are scheduled between December and February.
Takeaways
A look at other takeaways
A new on-off match has been introduced - between CK Nayudu Trophy winners and a Rest of India squad - to provide an enhanced competitive platform for emerging Under-23 cricketers. The Under-19 Cooch Behar Trophy (Elite group) will be played entirely in Bengaluru and Mysuru to accommodate the weather conditions in some parts of India. The Under-16 Vijay Merchant Trophy has also been brought forward from November to January for better scheduling and player preparation.