
BCCI Domestic Schedule 2026-27: New Season To See 1788 Matches, Ranji Trophy To Start From Oct 11 | Check Dates Of SMAT, Vijay Hazare Trophy. Photo BCCI Domestic- X
BCCI Domestic Schedule 2026-27: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced its complete domestic cricket schedule. The season would witness a staggering 1,788 matches in various age groups and senior categories in both men’s and women’s cricket, all carefully planned to balance player workload and mitigate extreme weather conditions, reflecting the board’s massive commitment to fostering talent across all levels. Duleep Trophy will kick off the season from 23 August 2026. The historic Irani Cup match will then be played between October 1 and 5.
The Ranji Trophy, the crown jewel of India’s first-class cricket, is scheduled to begin on October 11. The tournament will be played in a split two-phase format, with the crucial structural change remaining to protect players from harsh winter elements in the North. The first stage will be played from October 11th to November 5th, which will bring to an end the first five rounds of the league. After a break for the limited-overs matches, the main red-ball tournament will resume for its second phase from 17th January, leading up to the crucial knockout matches.
The mid-season break of the Ranji Trophy will give way to India’s top domestic white-ball tournaments. The Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT), the national T20 championship, will be held from November 14 to December 6. The league matches of SMAT will be played at major venues like Mumbai, Vizag, Kolkata, Mohila before moving to Nagpur for the thrilling knockout rounds. Crucially, with the tournament concluding in early-December, Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise scouts have sufficient time to assess fresh talent ahead of the annual IPL player auction.
And the Vijay Hazare Trophy follows straight after the T20s in the 50-over format. This top one-day competition takes place from December 14 through January 8. The group stage matches will be played in Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, Ranchi and Rajkot while the final knockout matches will be held in Vizag.
In another major step towards modernisation, the BCCI announced that the Men’s U-23 State A Trophy and the inter-zonal university competition for the Vizzy Trophy will be permanently moved from 50-over games to T20 format. This all-encompassing structure caters directly to the demands of modern cricket and guarantees another highly competitive and robust season for Indian cricket.
Debayan Bhattacharyya is a seasoned sports journalist and digital media professional, currently serving as the Chief Sub Editor at ITV Digital (NewsX). A true Football-Fanatic Bong, his professional journey began at Zee Media, where he kicked off his career as a Sub-Editor for the sports team at India.com and CricketCountry. His ability to blend insightful analysis with rapid-fire news delivery soon led him to Times Network, where he served as a Senior Copy Editor for Times Now. Before his current role at NewsX, Debayan spent a significant tenure at OneIndia’s MyKhel as a Senior Sub Editor.
Mumbai monsoon 2026 may arrive earlier than usual, with Maharashtra likely to receive rains from…
Inter Kashi vs East Bengal Live Streaming: Where to Watch ISL match on TV and Online In India?
Check out the Live Streaming and Telecast details of Inter Kashi vs East Bengal Indian…
Punjab vs Haryana Summer Vacation 2026: Which State Announced Longer Holidays
Amid rising temperatures and heatwave conditions across North India, Punjab and Haryana have announced summer…