On expected lines, the Duleep Trophy will return to its zonal format starting next year. During the BCCI’s apex council meeting in Kolkata on Saturday, it was decided that the season-opening domestic tournament will return to its old structure.
Last season, the tournament was contested by four teams, which were selected based on the recommendations of a working group consisting then head coach Rahul Dravid, chief selector Ajit Agarkar, National Cricket Academy (NCA) head VVS Laxman and Abey Kuruvilla – general manager, operations. The experiment has been done away with starting next season, and it is expected that the zonal selectors will be picking the squads.
It was also decided that the bottom placed teams from all the six groups in the Vijay Hazare Trophy and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy will be relegated to the Plate Group.
In another significant development, the Board has decided to introduce uniformity in the payment of the scorers. Going forward, every scorer will be paid Rs. 15,000 per game.