Reports | BCCI scrap Vijay Hazare, Duleep and Deodhar Trophy for upcoming season; change Ranji format
In the midst of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, the BCCI have reportedly decided to do away with the Vijay Hazare, Duleep and Deodhar Trophy for the upcoming season and have also speculatively changed the format of the Ranji Trophy. The future of Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy is said to be in the balance.
With July marking five full months of cricket - and even training and camps, for that matter - being wiped away from India, the 2020/21 domestic season happening untrimmed was always going to be highly unlikely. And now, with the Covid-19 cases hitting new highs in the country with every passing day, the BCCI have decided to take drastic measures.
According to a Times of India report, the board have decided to do away with the Duleep Trophy, Deodhar Trophy, Vijay Hazare Trophy and the CK Nayudu Under-23 tournament for the upcoming season in a desperate attempt to stage the Ranji Trophy, which is the premier domestic competition in the entire country. The board are, however, believed to still be in two minds about doing away with the T20 tournament Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and it is believed that they would attempt to do their best to stage the tournament alongside the four-day competition which is the Ranji Trophy.
The TOI report also further added that in what will be a one-off, the BCCI will completely restructure the Ranji Trophy format. It is believed that the teams, this season, will be grouped geographically into five zones - North, West, South, East and Central - after which the zone winners from each zone will compete in a five-team knockout tournament to decide the final winner. The board are currently said to be working on the logistics of the same and are also believed to be taking into account the various challenges and hurdles they will stumble upon, not least the health hazards posed by the ongoing pandemic.
According to a BCCI source, the sheer amount of money that players earn by playing the Ranji Trophy, which keeps them financially viable, is the foremost reason for them to be prioritizing the four-day competition over the rest. The source also added that there is still an ‘outside chance’ of the Syed Mushtaq Ali happening.
“Cricketers don’t earn from any other domestic tournament in the country the way they earn from IPL. Ranji is the second highest paying tournament. Eight teams play the IPL, 38 teams play the Ranji.
“Players earn anywhere between (Rs) 10-12 lakh per Ranji season or more and some state associations also share sponsorship money. It’s a source of livelihood for many cricketers, who earn by playing the game. That is why it is important for the Ranji Trophy to happen. In these times of Covid, it is important that all players continue to receive their fair share of money and respect,” a source in the know told TOI.
“Right now, there’s still just an outside chance of including Mushtaq Ali (T20 tournament) in the plans. Let’s see how things work out,” the source further added.
The BCCI are also reportedly keen on keeping the Under-19 age group active, as they believe that missing one full season of cricket might potentially hinder the development of age-group players. Speaking of hosting age-group cricket tournaments, the source said, “it’s is important to consider it, even if it means playing in zonal territories.”