BCCI releases schedule for 2026-27 domestic season with 1,178 matches lined up: All you need to know
A total of 1,178 matches will be played in the 2026-27 domestic season, which will be crucial in the development of upcoming cricketers, vying for a spot in the Indian national team. The upcoming season will put the Senior, U-23, U-19 and U-16 players to the test across genders
Jammu and Kashmir's players celebrate with the trophy after winning the Ranji Trophy 2025-26 in Hubballi on Saturday, February 28, 2026. (Photo: IANS)
The Board of Control for Cricket in India has released an extensive schedule for the upcoming 2026-27 domestic cricketing season, which is set to begin from Sunday, August 23 with the Duleep Trophy kicking things off in what is going to be a very long and tiring season for players across the senior and age group levels in both men's and women's categories.
A total of 1,178 matches will be played in the 2026-27 domestic season, which will be crucial in the development of upcoming cricketers, vying for a spot in the Indian national team. The upcoming season will put the Senior, U-23, U-19 and U-16 players to the test across genders.
The Indian domestic season has become very important and mandatory for all cricketers, whether capped or uncapped, after the BCCI noticed several players refusing to play for their respective states when not on international duty. This directive was made official nearly 2 years ago when Gautam Gambhir took charge as India's head coach.
This move saw the returns of almost every Indian national cricketer back to the domestic circuit with the likes of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli also turning up for Mumbai and Delhi last season.
Ranji Trophy to be played in two phases from October 11 onwards
The Duleep Trophy, which is the curtain raiser, will run from August 23 to September 10, followed by the Irani Cup from October 1 to 5. The 2026-27 Ranji Trophy season will start from October 11 onwards across the Elite and Plate groups. As usual, the first-class tournament will be played in two different phases.
While the 1st phase will run from October 11 to November 5, the 2nd will start from January 17 and end on February 4. The Plate group will come to an end on January 20.
The white-ball phase of the 2026-27 domestic season will start with the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 trophy, followed by the Vijay Hazare trophy (50-over format) across the Elite and Plate groups.
In the age group category, the men's U-23, U-19 and U-16 teams will play a total of 11 competitions, starting from October 1. In the women's category, the senior and age group teams will feature in 17 white-ball tournaments. The domestic schedule was released by the BCCI on Wednesday, May 20.
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