All you need to know about new Ranji Trophy format starting 2022-23 season

Madhya Pradesh outclassed the 41-time winners Mumbai to win the Ranji Trophy 2021/22 season and thus, ended up bagging their maiden title in the prestigious tournament. They will now be defending their title in the 2022/23 season, but it would be a huge challenge for them to retain it as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has come up with a new format for the next season.

The BCCI on Monday, August 8 announced the schedule for the 2022-23 season which is set to commence on December 13, 2022, with the final to be played on February 20, 2023. However, the national cricket board has decided that there would be two winners this time around i.e. one from the Elite group and the other from the Plate group. This decision has been taken to avoid a mismatch in terms of competition during knockouts and make the tournament more intense.

BCCI introduces a new format starting 2022/23 Ranji Trophy season

According to the new format introduced by the BCCI starting with the 2022/23 season, the team that finishes on top of the Plate group would no longer be competing against a team from the Elite group in the pre-quarterfinal match as traditionally followed. The Plate teams will be having their own tournament from now on.

Starting next season, all the six Plate group teams will lock horns with each other once and the four best sides amongst them would qualify for the semifinals. More importantly, there is a huge bonus for the two finalists as they would be promoted to the Elite group for the subsequent season.

Coming to the Elite groups, the 32 participating teams will be divided into four groups consisting of eight sides each. After a particular team competes against all the other seven opponents of their respective groups, the two best sides from each group will qualify for the quarterfinals.

However, the two teams finishing at the bottom in all four Elite groups have plenty to worry about as they would be relegated to the Plate group in the next season based on points and quotient. Thus, all the Elite teams have a lot to play for and pride to salvage w.e.f. next season onwards.