The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced an early start to the 2023-24 domestic cricket season, with the Duleep Trophy scheduled to begin on June 28. The Deodhar Trophy, which has been reintroduced after a three-season hiatus, will take place from July 24 to August 3, with both the Deodhar Trophy and the Duleep Trophy being played across six zones – Central, South, North, East, West, and North-East. The Irani Cup, which features the current Ranji Trophy winners, Saurashtra, taking on the Rest of India side, will commence on October 01, 2023. The Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, India’s premier T20 tournament, will begin on October 16, shortly after the completion of the Irani Cup. The Vijay Hazare Trophy, India’s premier 50-over tournament, will be played from November 23 to December 15. Both T20 and 50-over competitions will feature 38 teams divided into two groups of seven teams and three groups of eight teams. For the Ranji Trophy, the 38 teams will be split into five groups. The four Elite Groups will have eight teams each, while the Plate Group will comprise six teams. The teams in the Elite Group will play seven league-stage matches each, with the top two teams from each group making it to the Quarterfinals. The women’s domestic cricket season, however, will not see an early start. The season will begin with the Senior Women’s T20 Trophy, to be played from October 19 to November 9, followed by the Senior Women’s Inter Zonal Trophy, which will start on November 24. The new year will begin with the Senior Women’s One-Day Trophy, commencing on January 4, with the final scheduled for Republic Day, January 26. The BCCI’s announcement of an early start to the domestic season has been hailed as a positive step by cricket experts, who believe that it will give players enough time to acclimatize to the conditions ahead of the 2023 World Cup. The decision also reflects the BCCI’s commitment to ensuring that Indian cricket remains competitive on the global stage. The domestic cricket season is an important platform for Indian cricketers, providing them with an opportunity to showcase their talent and skills at the national level. The early start to the domestic season will give players the chance to compete in a range of tournaments, including the prestigious Ranji Trophy, and will provide a strong foundation for the development of Indian cricket.
