Hyderabad: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) unveiled the domestic cricket calendar for the 2024-25 season on Thursday.
"The Domestic Home Season 2024-25 has been meticulously planned, taking into account multiple factors to fortify the core of domestic cricket while prioritizing player well-being," BCCI Secretary Jay Shah said in a media statement.
"The season will commence with red-ball cricket, featuring the prestigious Duleep Trophy. Four teams selected by the Senior Men’s Selection Committee will compete in the Duleep Trophy, starting in Anantapur from September 5. This will be followed by the Irani Cup and the Ranji Trophy, featuring the first five league matches."
"Next, the white-ball tournaments will take centre stage, beginning with the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, followed by the Vijay Hazare Trophy. The Ranji Trophy will then resume with the final two league matches, culminating in the knockout stages," the BCCI secretary said.
The BCCI said that to prioritise player welfare, an extended gap between matches has been incorporated, ensuring ample time for recovery and sustained peak performance are some of the aims set for the upcoming season.
It also said that all women's challenger tournaments, spanning one-day, T20, and Multi-Day formats, will witness teams selected by the national selectors.
It also said that the CK Nayudu Trophy introduces a revamped points system aimed at fostering balanced performances.
"This includes the attribution of points for batting and bowling prowess in the first innings, alongside points for securing the first innings lead or achieving an outright victory. A thorough review will be conducted post-season to evaluate the efficacy of the new points system, with a potential implementation in the Ranji Trophy for subsequent seasons," the BCCI said.