Domestic cricket tournaments in India

India is the home of cricket today. The sport’s popularity is undoubtedly the greatest here, even though it was brought to the subcontinent by the British. India is also one of the world’s best cricket nations and home to numerous leagues and competitions.

If you want to bet on a cricket event from India, you first need to know about the major ones worth betting on, and we are here to help you with that. We list all the tournaments and leagues you should know about, and once you’re done reading, you can head over to Takebet India to find the best sportsbooks that cover these leagues so you can start placing your bets.

Brief History

As we’ve stated, the British were the ones who brought cricket to India. This happened in the early 18th century, and the first documented game played occurred in 1721. However, the first-ever first-class match happened more than a century later, in 1864, between Calcutta and Madras.

The sport started developing rapidly after that, but it started coming into its own once India gained independence from the British Raj in 1947. Soon after, the Ranji Trophy was created, and the old Bombay Quadrangular tournament based on ethnicity was eliminated.

In 1983, India managed to win its first Cricket World Cup. After that, it only continued developing, with new local clubs coming into their own and new leagues and tournaments entering the fold.

First-Class Competitions

First-class signifies the highest standard for domestic or international cricket events and games. It’s one of only three cricket forms recognised by the ICC, together with List A and Twenty20 cricket. India is home to three first-class competitions – the Ranji Trophy, Duleep Trophy, and the Irani Trophy.

Limited Overs Competitions

Limited overs or one-day cricket is a version of the sport where the matches are finished within a single day. India has several limited overs tournaments, some of which are now defunct. The ones you should know about are Deodhar Trophy, NKP Salve Challenger Trophy, Vijay Hazare Trophy, and the BCCI Corporate Trophy.

Twenty20 Competitions

Twenty20 is the famous shortened form of cricket where matches are restricted to a single innings for each team, and each innings has 20 overs at the most. India has three massively popular Twenty20 competitions, the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, the Inter-State T20 Championship, and most notably, the Indian Premier League.

Youth Competitions

Youth competitions in India give a chance to younger players to show their worth so they can eventually join bigger teams as adults. There are three youth competitions in India you should know about – Vinoo Mankad Trophy, Yagnik Trophy, and the Coochbehar Cup.

Women’s Domestic Competitions

Cricket is predominantly a male sport in India, but there are still several notable all-female competitions in the country. This includes the Senior Women’s T20 Challenger Trophy, Senior Women’s One Day League, Senior Women’s One Day Challenger Trophy, Senior Women’s T20 League, and the Indian Women’s Premier League.

Domestic Cricket Leagues

Let’s take a closer look at the regional domestic leagues in India, including the ones that were cancelled or have an uncertain future at the moment.

T20 Mumbai League

Formed by the Mumbai Cricket Association, the T20 Mumbai League is a major Twenty20 cricket league that strives to bring the most talented players from the city of Mumbai. It began in 2018, but the latest season occurred in 2019, and we are still waiting for the third season that was pushed back due to the pandemic.

Saurashtra Premier League

The Saurashtra Premier League is a relatively new 20-over cricket league from the Saurashtra region of Gujarat. Only five teams participate in it, and it began in 2019.

Celebrity Cricket League

An amateur cricket league for men, the Celebrity Cricket League is a Twenty20 league with as many as eight teams. It features actors and other people from the movie industry as cricket players. Some of these players include Ritesh Deshmukh, Daggubati Venkatesh, Jisshu Sengupta, Sudeep Sanjeev, and others.

Karnataka Premier League

Administered by the Karnataka State Cricket Association, the Karnataka Premier League (KPL) is a Twenty20 competition that began in 2009. The latest edition happened in 2019/20 and featured eight teams from the state. It’s currently on hold.

Tamil Nadu Premier League

Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) is a notable Twenty20 cricket league for the state of Tamil Nadu. It was made in 2016 by the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association and features eight teams from the state. The current and the most successful team in the league are the Chepauk Super Gillies, who hold three titles, including the 2021 one.

Odisha Premier League

Administered by the Odisha Cricket Association, the Odisha Premier League was the Twenty20 cricket tournament in the Odisha state. It lasted only from 2011 to 2013, after which the OCA cancelled it since no franchises renewed their contracts.

Rajwada Cricket League

This professional Twenty20 cricket league came into being in 2016. It only features seven teams, with the most successful one being the Kota Chambal Tigers.

Indian Cricket League

The Indian Cricket League is a now-defunct league that operated between 2007 and 2009. It had nine city teams from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and the World XI. The league didn’t live long due to a lack of funding, but mostly because it didn’t have the support of the Board of Control for Cricket in India and the ICC.

Telangana Schools Premier League

The TSPL is a school-level cricket league from the Telangana state. The Cricket Association of Telangana runs it.

Major Domestic Cricket Tournaments

Let’s take a deeper look at all the major domestic cricket tournaments in India.

Irani Cup

The Z. R. Irani Cup is a first-class cricket tournament that began in 1959-60. It’s the culmination of the Ranji Trophy and features the winning team of the Ranji Trophy for the season and the Rest of India team that continually changes and includes players from all over the country.

The Rest of India team also has the most wins here, but the Vidarbha cricket team won the last two cups.

Deodhar Trophy

The Deodhar Trophy is an old List A cricket tournament operated by the BCCI. Its inaugural season happened in 1973-74, with the last one ending right before the pandemic began. There are only three teams, and as of 2018-19, they are called India A, India B, and India C.

Vijay Hazare Trophy

This List-A competition started as a limited-overs competition in 2002-03. It’s still ongoing, organised by the BCCI, and features as many as 38 teams. The most successful team is Tamil Nadu, with five wins, but they lost to the Himachal Pradesh team in the latest instalment of the trophy.

Duleep Trophy

Duleep Trophy is a domestic first-class cricket tournament that began in 1961-62, making it one of the oldest championships in India. It only has three teams, each representing a different geographical zone. The BCCI chooses these teams and organises the tournament.

Ranji Trophy

The oldest cricket tournament in the country, named after the first international Indian cricketer called Ranjitsinhji, the Ranji Trophy is a first-class cricket event that began in 1934-35. It features as many as 38 teams that come from all 28 states and four of the eight union territories. The most successful team is the Bombay cricket team, winning as many as 41 titles.

Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy

A domestic Twenty20 cricket tournament, the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, began in 2006-07 and features the 38 teams from the Ranji Trophy. The Tamil Nadu team has the most titles, three in total, and is the inaugural and current champion of the competition.

Cricket Tournaments in India FAQ

Which state is best for cricket in India?

It has to be Maharashtra, as the state has dominated the world of cricket in the last few decades. It’s mainly because many great players and legends like Sachin Tendulkar and Sunil Gavaskar came from this state.

Which is the most popular cricket tournament in India?

There are many popular cricket tournaments in India, but it seems that the Indian Premier League is the most popular in the country if the masses of its fans are to be believed.

Where to bet on cricket in India?

You can bet on numerous sites that target the Indian market. However, it’s best to choose the ones that have the most competitive odds, cover the most tournaments and leagues, and offer a stellar betting experience. We recommend such sites right on Takebet.com.

How can I bet on cricket in India?

It’s easy. All you need to do is choose an excellent cricket betting site, register an account, make your initial deposit while claiming the welcome bonus, and you’re set to start placing wagers.

Which is the best cricket betting site in India?

There is no single best cricket betting site in India. But that’s not bad news because there are several best betting sites for cricket punters based on numerous sports betting reviews. You only need to pick one that works best for you.