The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has officially released the schedule for the 2025–26 domestic cricket season, outlining a comprehensive calendar that reflects the board’s continued emphasis on both men’s and women’s cricket.
The season will commence on August 28, 2025, with the prestigious Duleep Trophy, a premier first-class tournament that traditionally sets the tone for the rest of the domestic fixtures. Over the course of more than seven months, the calendar is set to host a wide range of competitions across formats and age groups.
A key highlight of the upcoming season is the strengthened focus on women’s cricket, which will conclude the season with the Senior Women’s Inter-Zonal multi-day tournament, scheduled to end on April 3, 2026. This reflects BCCI’s intent to provide longer-format match experience to women cricketers, preparing them for more competitive international assignments.
In addition to traditional formats like the Ranji Trophy, Vijay Hazare Trophy, and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, the season includes age-group tournaments such as the Cooch Behar Trophy, CK Nayudu Trophy, and various U-19 and U-23 competitions. The domestic T20 and one-day competitions are expected to draw close scrutiny from selectors and IPL franchises.
The BCCI has also introduced several structural enhancements to the domestic system, including improved match-day infrastructure, extended video coverage for certain matches, and stricter adherence to fitness and performance benchmarks for players across zones.
The calendar is designed to ensure optimal workload management, with scheduled breaks between major tournaments and minimal overlap between formats. This aligns with the board’s broader objective to manage player health and performance, especially in a year when the national team has a packed international itinerary.
With an extensive lineup of matches and a sharper focus on quality and inclusivity, the 2025–26 domestic season promises a highly competitive platform for emerging and established talent in Indian cricket.