Duleep Trophy format: The SportsRush brings you the new format and schedule of the upcoming Duleep Trophy 2022.
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The Indian domestic cricket season is set to begin in full flow this season, and Duleep Trophy is also making its return this time around. The premier first-class tournament of India alongside the Ranji Trophy was last played in the 2019-20 season due to the Covid pandemic.
A total of five matches will be played in the tournament, with the first match being played between West Zone and North East Zone from 8 September 2022 in Chennai. The tournament will be played entirely in the South Zone this time around. There are some star players playing in the tournament this time around.
Duleep Trophy format
Duleep Trophy started in the 1961-62 season, and till 2014-15, the tournament was played between five Zonal Indian teams i.e. North Zone, South Zone, East Zone, West Zone and Central Zone. The original format was the five teams playing each other on a knock-out basis. However, from the 1993-94 season, the tournament changed to a league format.
From 2003-04 to 2008, a sixth team also played alongside the five zonal teams, which was the guest touring team. From 2008, the tournament again shifted to its original format of knockout games. Duleep Trophy did not happen in the 2015-16 season and BCCI came up with a brand new format in 2016-17.
In 2016-17, BCCI brought in three teams India Red, India Blue and India Green. The squads of all these teams were picked by the board only. The tournament was played in Round Robin format, where the top 2 teams met each other in the final. This format continued till 2019-20 (the last time Duleep Trophy was played).
In 2022, the tournament is returning to its old format of Zonal Teams playing against each other in a knockout format. However, there are six zones this time around instead of the regular five zones. The additional team this season is the North East Zone.
Duleep Trophy schedule
Quarterfinal 1: West Zone vs North East Zone, 8-11 September (Chennai)
Quarterfinal 2: North Zone vs East Zone, 8-11 September (Puducherry)
Semi-final 1: Central Zone vs Winner of QF 1: 15-18 September (Coimbatore)
Semi-final 2: South Zone vs Winner of QF 2: 15-18 September (Salem)
Final: Winner of SF1 vs Winner of SF2, 21-25 September (Coimbatore)
