Over 2017 domestic matches are set to be played in the 2018-19 season in Indian cricket. These matches include all the formats across both the categories (men and women).
The season kickstarts with the senior women”s challenger T20 Trophy from August 13. This will be followed by Men”s Duleep Trophy from August 17. Other tournaments on the cards are the Vijay Hazare Trophy and Deodhar Trophy.
Ranji Trophy
In a press release from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), it announced that the Ranji Trophy format has undergone a change due to the inclusion of nine new teams. These teams will be placed in the “Plate” category. The table toppers will not only reach the quarterfinals but will also get a promotion to the Elite group C.
The top two teams from the Elite group C will get a promotion to the nine-member groups A and B next year.
Nine New Teams: Arunachal Pradesh, Bihar, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Puducherry, Sikkim and Uttarakhand.
The Ranji Trophy commences on November 1 and will see 37 teams in it. This elite plate format is expected to be nothing short of an intense thriller as many young talents will be trying to cement their spot in the sides.
The sibling tournaments Syed Mushtaq Ali and Irani cups will also see the same number of teams (37) as stated above. In all possibilities, the players will try to tick their boxes to grab the IPL contracts by putting forward their best performances.
Though the tournament schedules look a bit hectic, the senior players will try to create an impact in the domestic to announce their readiness in the International arena.