The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced significant changes to the Ranji Trophy format, set to take effect from the 2025-26 season. These changes, decided during the recent Apex Council meeting, aim to enhance the competitiveness and quality of the premier domestic red-ball tournament.

One of the most notable adjustments is the modification to the promotion and relegation system between the Elite and Plate groups. Instead of the previous practice of promoting and relegating two teams, the new format will see only one team being promoted from the Plate Group and one team being relegated from the Elite Group. This alteration is intended to raise the stakes and ensure a more competitive environment in both groups. This format change in red ball cricket will apply to BCCI tournaments across all age groups.

The Ranji Trophy 2025-26 season is scheduled to be held in two phases, mirroring the format of the previous year. The first phase will commence on October 15 and continue until November 19, featuring five matches. Following this, the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) will take place in December, and the Vijay Hazare Trophy (VHT) in January. The Ranji Trophy will then resume at the end of January, with the remaining two group stage matches and the subsequent knockout games scheduled from January 22 to February 28.

In addition to the changes in promotion and relegation, the BCCI has also reintroduced the Plate division in all domestic one-day competitions, including the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT). The six bottom-placed teams from the previous season will constitute the Plate Group.

Moreover, a Super League format has been introduced for the SMAT Elite and Senior Women's T20 Trophy Elite, replacing the traditional knockout matches. Under this new format, the top two teams from each group will qualify for the Super League, where each team will play three matches. The top teams from Group A and Group B will then compete in the final.

The BCCI has also decided to revert to the original zonal format for the Duleep Trophy, moving away from last year's structure of four teams (India A, B, C, and D). The zonal teams (North, East, North East, Central, West, and South) will be reinstated, providing more opportunities for domestic performers and increasing the potential participation of Test cricketers. The Duleep Trophy, marking the start of the season, will be held from August 28 to September 15.

Furthermore, the head-to-head qualification requirement has been removed for all white-ball tournaments. In cases where two or more teams have an equal number of points and wins, the net run rate will now be the deciding factor in determining which team advances to the next stage of the competition.

These changes reflect the BCCI's commitment to revitalizing domestic cricket and ensuring that the Ranji Trophy remains a highly competitive and relevant platform for nurturing cricketing talent in India.