Team India (senior men’s) will warm-up for the T20 World Cup 2026 with a white-ball series against New Zealand, the BCCI confirmed on Saturday (June 14).
The board has announced an eight-match white-ball series for the Indian team, comprising three ODIs and five T20Is against the Kiwis.
The T20I side, led by Suryakumar Yadav, will be playing the series between January 21-31, capping off their preparations for the World Cup, slated to be held in India and Sri Lanka in the months of February and March.
India vs New Zealand Schedule:
Baroda – First ODI (Jan 11)
Rajkot – Second ODI (Jan 14)
Indore – Third ODI (Jan 18)
Nagpur – First T20I (Jan 21)
Raipur – Second T20I (Jan 23)
Guwahati – Third T20I (Jan 25)
Visakhapatnam – Fourth T20I (Jan 28)
Thiruvananthapuram – Fifth T20I (Jan 31)
Among other announcements, the Apex Council has resolved to establish a Working Group comprising five (5) ‘Umpire Coaches’ to oversee the development of umpires and boost their on-field performance. These five ‘Umpire Coaches’ must possess international umpiring experience and have served as former umpires.
Furthermore, the Apex Council has decided to form a Working Group consisting of three (3) former Match Referees. This Working Group will be responsible for monitoring the development of match referees and providing them with opportunities to improve their performance in cricket matches.
Key Highlights: BCCI Domestic Season 2025–26
The 2025–26 domestic season will get underway with the Duleep Trophy (August 28, 2025) and culminate with the Senior Women’s Inter-Zonal Multi-Day Trophy (April 3, 2026). Ranji Trophy will be played from October 15 to February 28 in two phases, with a tweaked format that will see the promotion and relegation of one team from the Plate Group.
Key Changes
The Duleep Trophy and Senior Women’s Challenger tournaments will now be contested between six zonal teams selected by zonal selectors.
Plate Group restructuring has been introduced across age categories. The bottom 6 teams (based on the previous season’s rankings) will be placed in the Plate Group for limited overs tournaments.
Promotion/relegation rules updated: Only one team will be promoted/relegated between Elite and Plate groups going forward.
Tournament Format Updates
The Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and Senior Women’s T20 Trophy will now have a Super League stage rather than a traditional knockout.
New Grouping Formats
Major tournaments such as Vijay Hazare Trophy, Senior Women’s One Day Trophy, and Men’s U23 State A Trophy will follow a 4 Elite Groups + 1 Plate Group model.
Most junior and women’s tournaments (U16, U19, U23) have shifted to a 5 Elite + 1 Plate group structure.
