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NDTV
6 days ago
- Sport
- NDTV
BCCI Make Big Change To Ranji Trophy Format For 2025-26 Season
The 2025-26 Ranji Trophy will be held from October 15 to February 28 in two phases with a tweaked format which will see the promotion and relegation of one team from the plate group instead of the current two sides, the BCCI decided in its Apex Council meeting on Saturday. Back in 2018-19, the BCCI had added nine teams in the Ranji Trophy including the team from the North East but that has impacted the quality of cricket in the premier domestic competition. Meghalaya played in the Ranji Trophy elite division but lost all their seven games last season. "All multi-day men's tournaments (senior and junior), 1 team will be promoted and 1 team will be relegated for the 2026-27 season grouping," read a BCCI note in PTI's possession. The format change in red ball cricket will apply to all BCCI tournaments across age groups. The first phase of Ranji Trophy will be played from October 15 to November 19 while the second phase will run from January 22 to February 1. The knockouts will be played from February 6 to 28. The Duleep Trophy, which returns to the zonal format, will mark the start of the season and will be run from August 28 to September 15. "The team will be picked by the Zonal Selection Committee," the BCCI added. The Irani Cup will run from October 1 to 5. Super League introduced for SMAT, Plate Group reintroduced The Plate division has been reintroduced in all one-day competitions including the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. Until last season, the knockout games included the standard quarterfinal, semifinal and final stage but from this season, the qualified team will get three extra matches in Super League. Top team from group A and B will meet in the final. The bottom placed six teams from the last season will form the plate group. The SMAT will be played from November 26 to December 18. Additionally for all the white ball tournaments, the head to head clause for qualification has been done away with and net run rate will determine which team advances in the competition if they have equal points and wins. Venues for India-New Zealand white-ball series The likely venues for the white-ball series against New Zealand from January 11 to 31, 2026 include Hyderabad (first ODI, Jan 11), Rajkot (second ODI, Jan 14), Indore (third ODI, Jan 18, Nagpur (first T20, Jan 21, Ranchi (second T20, Jan 23), Guwahati (third T20, Jan 25), Visakhapatnam (fourth T20, Jan 28), Thiruvananthapuram (fifth T20, Jan 31).
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Business Standard
6 days ago
- Sport
- Business Standard
BCCI announces major rule changes for domestic cricket tournaments
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has introduced a raft of format changes across its domestic cricket structure ahead of the 2025–26 season. Following an Apex Council meeting on Saturday, the board unveiled a revamped Ranji Trophy schedule and significant updates to the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) and other white-ball tournaments. With an eye on enhancing the competitive balance and overall quality of play, the BCCI has streamlined promotion-relegation rules and added new phases like the Super League to certain competitions. Officials stressed the need to 'maintain standards' following concerns over performance disparities, especially after weaker teams struggled in elite divisions last season. Ranji Trophy to Be Played in Two Phases India's premier first-class tournament, the Ranji Trophy, will begin on 15 October and conclude on 28 February 2026. It will be conducted in two phases, with the first leg running from 15 October to 19 November, followed by the second from 22 January to 1 February. The knockout matches are scheduled for 6 to 28 February. A notable change is that only one team will now be promoted and one relegated between the Plate and Elite groups, a reduction from the earlier two. This updated system will also apply to all multi-day men's tournaments, including junior categories, starting with the 2026–27 season. Super League and Plate Group Revamped in SMAT The Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy has been reformatted to include a Super League phase. Teams topping Groups A and B will directly qualify for the final, while the bottom six from last season will compete in a reintroduced Plate division. This change ensures every qualified team gets three additional matches, aimed at offering more game time to in-form sides. The SMAT will run from 26 November to 18 December. Qualification Criteria Shift to Net Run Rate In a significant overhaul of the qualification mechanism, the head-to-head record has been dropped as a tiebreaker. Going forward, net run rate (NRR) will be the deciding factor if teams are level on points and wins across all white-ball formats. Zonal Format Back in Duleep Trophy; Irani Cup Dates Announced The Duleep Trophy will return to its zonal format, with squads to be picked by respective zonal selection committees. The competition will be held from 28 August to 15 September. Meanwhile, the Irani Cup has been slotted from 1 to 5 October, bridging the early domestic red-ball fixtures. India vs New Zealand White-Ball Series Venues Outlined The BCCI also pencilled in tentative venues for the much-awaited India–New Zealand white-ball series scheduled between 11 and 31 January 2026. The series will span Hyderabad, Rajkot, Indore, Nagpur, Ranchi, Guwahati, Visakhapatnam, and Thiruvananthapuram, covering three ODIs and five T20Is.
Time of India
6 days ago
- Sport
- Time of India
BCCI tweaks Ranji format as one team to be promoted and relegated; Super League in SMAT
The 2025-26 Ranji Trophy will be held from October 15 to February 28 in two phases with a tweaked format which will see the promotion and relegation of one team from the plate group instead of the current two sides, the BCCI decided in its Apex Council meeting on Saturday. Back in 2018-19, the BCCI had added nine teams in the Ranji Trophy including the team from the North East but that has impacted the quality of cricket in the premier domestic competition. Meghalaya played in the Ranji Trophy elite division but lost all their seven games last season. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Kulkas yang belum Terjual dengan Harga Termurah (Lihat harga) Cari Sekarang Undo "All multi-day men's tournaments (senior and junior), 1 team will be promoted and 1 team will be relegated for the 2026-27 season grouping," read a BCCI note in PTI's possession. The format change in red ball cricket will apply to all BCCI tournaments across age groups. Live Events The first phase of Ranji Trophy will be played from October 15 to November 19 while the second phase will run from January 22 to February 1. The knockouts will be played from February 6 to 28. The Duleep Trophy , which returns to the zonal format, will mark the start of the season and will be run from August 28 to September 15. "The team will be picked by the Zonal Selection Committee," the BCCI added. The Irani Cup will run from October 1 to 5. Super League introduced for SMAT, Plate Group reintroduced The Plate division has been reintroduced in all one-day competitions including the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy . Until last season, the knockout games included the standard quarterfinal, semifinal and final stage but from this season, the qualified team will get three extra matches in Super League. Top team from group A and B will meet in the final. The bottom placed six teams from the last season will form the plate group. The SMAT will be played from November 26 to December 18. Additionally for all the white ball tournaments, the head to head clause for qualification has been done away with and net run rate will determine which team advances in the competition if they have equal points and wins. Venues for India-New Zealand white-ball series The likely venues for the white-ball series against New Zealand from January 11 to 31, 2026 include Hyderabad (first ODI, Jan 11), Rajkot (second ODI, Jan 14), Indore (third ODI, Jan 18, Nagpur (first T20, Jan 21, Ranchi (second T20, Jan 23), Guwahati (third T20, Jan 25), Visakhapatnam (fourth T20, Jan 28), Thiruvananthapuram (fifth T20, Jan 31). \
Time of India
03-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
‘Sarpanch sahab' Shreyas Iyer: Man with the golden touch—took three teams to IPL finals but fell short for Punjab Kings
Live Events (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel 'Jahan matter bade hote hai, wahan sarpanch sahab khade hote hai,' his Punjab Kings (PBKS) deputy Shashank Singh had said after Iyer's 87* in Qualifier 2. And it's true. When the stakes are high, Shreyas Iyer is never far. Statistics are proving his worth, Iyer fell just short to create history to become first captain to lift three consecutive IPL titles with three different Iyer, this marked a second straight IPL final in as many seasons, but this time in red, not the purple of Kolkata Knight Riders or the blue of Delhi Capitals . His career, particularly in knockout matches, has become a pattern of high-stakes performances and leadership under pressure. Across formats and domestic levels, few Indian cricketers have maintained such consistency in record in tournament finals underscores his reputation as a dependable performer. He has featured in 16 finals across T20, List A, and first-class formats, scoring 940 runs in 21 innings at an average of two centuries and seven fifties, Iyer has ended up on the winning side in ten of those T20 finals, he has played four games and scored 121 runs with two not outs, averaging 60.5. He has one half-century in these matches, including a 65* for Delhi Capitals in the 2020 final. In the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) 2022 and 2024 finals, he contributed key runs to help Mumbai win both. His unbeaten 87 in Qualifier 2 against Mumbai Indians is now among the standout individual knocks of IPL white-ball finals, Iyer has amassed 413 runs across 10 games with an average of 51.62. His highest score came in the 2018-19 Deodhar Trophy final, when he made 148 for India B. He played supporting roles in India's 2025 Champions Trophy and the 2017-18 Deodhar Trophy red-ball cricket, Iyer's impact has been no different. His 117 in the 2015-16 Ranji final helped Mumbai clinch the title. In the 2023-24 final, he scored a vital 95 in the second innings. He also contributed in Mumbai's Irani Cup wins and West Zone's Duleep Trophy leadership in 2024 was pivotal for KKR's IPL win. Now with Punjab Kings, a franchise often labelled as underachievers, he has guided them to a final after a decade-long run to this final has not been without setbacks. After being excluded from BCCI's central contracts in 2023-24, Iyer returned with performances in domestic cricket, including wins in the Ranji Trophy, SMAT, and Irani Cup for Mumbai. He carried that form into IPL 2024 and into the current season with also played a key role in India's campaigns in the 2023 ODI World Cup and the 2025 Champions Trophy. In the World Cup, he scored 530 runs at an average of 66.25. He was India's top-scorer in the Champions Trophy with 243 runs, including two fifties. In 2025 so far, he has scored 424 runs in eight ODIs at an average of IPL 2025, Iyer has added over 600 runs, with six half-centuries. His consistency in crunch moments and experience in finals makes him a central figure in Tuesday's much of the focus remains on Virat Kohli and RCB's long wait for a title, Iyer's journey has quietly built a parallel narrative—of redemption, leadership, and big-match temperament.
India Gazette
02-06-2025
- Sport
- India Gazette
Icy-cold, brutal: Shreyas showcases shades of prime Virat in Ahmedabad, a look at his knockout stats
Ahmedabad (Gujarat) [India], June 2 (ANI): With an instant classic knock of 87* against Mumbai Indians (MI) in the Qualifier two, Punjab Kings (PBKS) skipper Shreyas Iyer continued proving his big game temperament and leadership abilities, ticking two extremely important boxes to succeed in high-competition, high-scrutiny environment of Indian cricket where a massive occasion turns a human into a hero. Over the year, despite some occasional failures, the 30-year-old has delivered several notable contributions in white-ball knockout matches. His remarkable calm, reassuring presence at the crease, ability to take down the ball irrespective of the name throwing it at him has transformed into an exciting leadership prospect for the future. In all of T20 cricket, Iyer has played a total of 17 knockout matches for his domestic side Mumbai and Indian Premier League (IPL) sides Delhi Capitals (DC), Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and PBKS. Throughout these, he has made 517 runs at an average of 43.08 with a solid strike rate of 145.22, with four half-centuries, with his latest knock being his best individual score. Coming to the IPL knockouts, Iyer's batting average hits a half-century. In 11 matches and innings, he has scored 303 runs at an average of 50.50 and a healthy strike rate of 142.92. He has hit three half-centuries, with the best score of 87*. Some of Iyer's most notable T20 knockout efforts include: -A knock of 65 in 50 deliveries, during which he formed a 96-run stand with Rishabh Pant in the IPL 2020 final against MI for DC. After a top-order collapse triggered by Trent Boult that left the Capitals rattled at 22/3, he put on a partnership with Pant that took DC to a decent 156/7 in 20 overs, which was chased down by MI with eight balls and five wickets left. -73 off just 44 deliveries against Saurashtra in the 2022 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy semifinals, which helped Mumbai chase down 165 set by their opponents after they found themselves at a tricky 74/3 in 8.3 overs with Ajinkya Rahane, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Prithvi Shaw gone. He delivered another important 26-ball 34 during the final against Himachal Pradesh, coming in at 28/2, helping Mumbai chase down 144 set with three wickets and three balls to go. Iyer helped Mumbai secure their first-ever SMAT title. -A vital 58* in 24 balls, with five fours and four sixes, which helped KKR storm into the finals by chasing down a modest 160 set by Sunrisers Hyderabad, coming in to bat with his team 67/2 in 6.2 overs. Coming to ODI cricket, Iyer has been both the aggressor who puts the pressure on bowlers and someone who calmly soaks in any incoming pressure. In four knockout matches for India in ODIs, he has scored 202 runs at an average of 50.50, with a strike rate of 102.53. His notable efforts include: -A 70-ball 105 consisting of four boundaries and eight sixes against New Zealand in the semifinals of the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup at his home stadium of Wankhede. Stitching a 163-run stand with Virat Kohli, who made history with an unprecedented 50th century in ODIs, Iyer also got a slice of history attached to his name as he slammed the fastest-ever century in a World Cup knockout game, coming in 67 balls. He also overtook New Zealand batter Scott Styris' tally of 499 runs in 2007 WC to have the best-ever World Cup by a middle-order batter. Posting 397/4, Iyer and Kohli outbatted a valiant New Zealand, who fell short by 70 runs. His takedown of spin, particularly Rachin Ravindra, made a difference. -With India at 43/2 while chasing a competitive 265 against Australia in semifinal of ICC Champions Trophy 2025, Iyer struck a 91-run stand with Virat, scoring a 62-ball 45 with three fours, taking India more than the halfway mark the target before perishing. -During the title clash of CT 2025 at Dubai, India lost Shubman Gill, Virat and skipper Rohit Sharma after a fine start, suddenly in soup at 122/3 while chasing 252. Iyer's 61-run stand with number five Axar Patel and his neatly-compiled 48 in 62 balls (with two fours and two sixes) laid down the platform for icy finishes from KL Rahul and Hardik Pandya, sealing India's second white-ball title in less than an year. In all of his 21 white-ball knockout matches, Iyer has scored 719 at an average of 44.93 in 21 innings, staying unbeaten five times. He has also registered a century and four half-centuries, with the best score of 105. Even during this knockout match on which hinged the PBKS' chances for a final against RCB, Iyer came in with PBKS at 55/2 in 7.5 overs while chasing 204. Taking his time to settle in, scoring just 19 in his first 15 deliveries and helping his side get past 100-run mark, he liberated himself with a hat-trick of sixes against Reece Topley in 13th over. After PBKS lost a well-settled Nehal Wadhera and Shashank Singh in quick succession, Iyer let loose his arms like never before. Something got into him as a pin-point yorker of death over master Jasprit Bumrah was dispatched for four through short third man by opening the face of his bat, showing shades of 2016 Virat Kohli who attempted the something really similar on an outside off delivery in the blackhole by Aussie James Faulkner during a virtual quarterfinal of T20 WC 2016 at Chandigarh. To top it all off, Iyer launched a furious, but yet a calm, four six assault on Ashwani Kumar in 19th over, finishing the match with one over left. Spitting the chewing gum out of his mouth and not cracking open a smile or letting out a scream, Iyer's icy-cold, blank expression said it all: Job is still half done, war is yet to be won. Pulling off an all-timer knock with great head on his shoulders during a tough run-chase on a big occasion with a similar shot or two, Shreyas served a soft recall to India to an era many attribute as a starting point of their love affair with cricket: 'The Kohli Era' of 2016-2019. Will Iyer win the 'war' as he talked about post the humiliating loss to RCB in Qualifier one and end PBKS' title drought? (ANI)
