India’s premier domestic cricket tournament, the Ranji Trophy, is making its much-anticipated return for the 2024-25 season. The competition is set to kick off on Friday, October 11, 2024, and will continue until early March of the following year. This tournament is crucial for players aiming to showcase their skills and secure a spot in the national team.
Structure of the Tournament
For the 2024-25 season, a total of 32 teams will compete, divided into four distinct groups: Elite Group A, Elite Group B, Elite Group C, and Elite Group D. These teams represent various regions across India, including Baroda, Jammu & Kashmir, Maharashtra, Meghalaya, Mumbai, Odisha, Services, Tripura, Andhra, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Hyderabad, Puducherry, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Vidarbha, Bengal, Bihar, Haryana, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Assam, Chandigarh, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Jharkhand, Railways, Saurashtra, and Tamil Nadu.
During the group stage, each team will play seven matches. Following the group stage, the tournament will progress to the quarter-finals, which are scheduled to take place at various venues starting on February 8, 2025. The semi-finals will commence on February 17, culminating in the final match on Wednesday, February 26, 2025. The defending champions, Mumbai, will aim to retain their title after defeating Vidarbha in the previous season’s final.
Plate Round
Additionally, the 2024-25 Ranji Trophy will include a Plate round featuring six teams: Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Goa, Manipur, Sikkim, and Mizoram. This segment will also begin on October 11, with the final slated for January 23, 2025. The top two teams from the Plate round will earn promotion to the Elite groups for the subsequent season, while the bottom two teams from each Elite Group will face relegation to the Plate Group next year. Matches for both the Elite and Plate rounds will kick off at 9:30 AM IST each day.
Broadcasting
Fans can catch all the excitement of the Ranji Trophy 2024-25 live on the Sports18 Network, ensuring they don’t miss a moment of action from one of India’s most prestigious domestic cricket tournaments.
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