'An essential platform for preparation and seizing opportunities' - Jay Shah wishes luck to Duleep Trophy participants

The 2024-25 domestic cricket season in India is set to begin with a bang as the prestigious Duleep Trophy commences on September 5.

Jay Shah, the Secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), extended his best wishes to all the participating players. In a message shared on social media, Shah emphasized the importance of red-ball cricket, describing it as the purest form of the game, and expressed his excitement for the season starting on such a strong note.

The Duleep Trophy holds even greater importance this year. With four teams—India A, India B, India C, and India D—competing, the tournament serves as a critical platform for players to prepare and show their skills ahead of the upcoming international fixtures. 

"The 2024-25 Domestic season is set to kick off tomorrow with the prestigious Duleep Trophy! It’s an exciting start as four teams, featuring some of the finest longer-format cricketers in the country will go head to head. With a packed red ball calendar ahead for Team India, this tournament is an essential platform for preparation and seizing opportunities.

There’s something special about red ball cricket ~ the purest form of the game and it’s great to see the season starting on this strong note. Best of luck to all the players selected. Looking forward to witnessing some outstanding performances in the days to come," he wrote on X.

Also read: Duleep Trophy 2024, India C vs India D: Match Preview, Playing 11, Where to Watch on TV & Live Streaming Details

Three venues have been picked for Duleep Trophy 

This year, the tournament will be played across three venues - Rural Development Trust Stadium and ACA ADCA Ground in Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh, and the iconic M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, where the curtain-raiser between India A and India B will take place. 

The teams will be led by captains Shubman Gill (India A), Abhimanyu Easwaran (India B), Ruturaj Gaikwad (India C), and Shreyas Iyer (India D).

The tournament's format has changed this year, moving away from the traditional zonal structure. The Duleep Trophy will feature a round-robin format, with the team accumulating the most points being crowned the winner. 

Also read: Duleep Trophy 2024, India A vs India B: Match Preview, Playing 11, Where to Watch on TV & Live Streaming Details

However, not all top players will be participating. While Shah's directive emphasized the importance of centrally contracted players featuring in the domestic season, a few exceptions have been made.

Key players like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, and Ravichandran Ashwin have been exempted to manage their workloads ahead of India's busy Test schedule, which includes the upcoming series against Bangladesh and the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia.