BCCI Honorary Secretary Devajit Saikia said the Duleep Trophy remains an important part of India’s domestic cricket calendar and has a long history
Published: August 19, 2026, 11:16 PM IST
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It is officialThe Duleep Trophy 2026-27 final will now be played at the M.AChidambaram Stadium in Chennai instead of the Centre of Excellence (CoE) in BengaluruThe final is scheduled from September 6 to 10.
The decision has been taken to allow spectators to watch the domestic first-class tournament’s final at the stadiumThe CoE has certain restrictions on crowd attendance, making it difficult for fans to be present during matches.
The rest of the Duleep Trophy will go ahead as planned at the CoE in BengaluruThe tournament will begin on August 23, with East Zone taking on Northeast Zone and North Zone facing West Zone.
BCCI Honorary Secretary Devajit Saikia said the Duleep Trophy remains an important part of India’s domestic cricket calendar and has a long historyHe also said the board wanted fans to get an opportunity to watch the final live.
“The Duleep Trophy is an important first-class tournament in our calendar and carries a rich legacyThe quality of cricket is always high, and we want fans to have the opportunity to watch the final live at the stadium,” Saikia said.
He explained that the restrictions at the CoE were the main reason behind the change in venueAccording to Saikia, moving the final to Chennai will allow spectators to be part of the occasion.
The BCCI has also increased the coverage of the tournament this seasonAll Duleep Trophy matches will be streamed live, giving fans access to the competition even when they cannot attend the games in person.
There will also be television coverage for one quarter-final, one semi-final and the finalThis will give the knockout stages more visibility and allow a wider audience to follow the tournament.
The Duleep Trophy remains an important competition for domestic players with several cricketers using strong performances in the tournament to push their case for India selection.
“The Duleep Trophy is an important first-class tournament in our calendar and carries a rich legacyThe quality of cricket is always high, and we want fans to have the opportunity to watch the final live at the stadium,” Saikia said.
There are certain restrictions regarding crowd attendance at the CoE, and we felt it was appropriate to move the final to a venue where fans can attend and be part of the occasionWe have also increased coverage of the tournament and all matches of the Duleep Trophy will be streamed live, and there will also be TV coverage of one quarter-final, one semi-final and the final,” Devajit Saikia concluded.
With the first matches still set for Bengaluru and the final moving to Chennai, the BCCI has kept most of the original schedule intact while making changes to ensure fans can attend the tournament’s biggest match.
