Col CK Nayudu Trophy 2025-26: Full Schedule, Squads & Venues

The Col. C. K. Nayudu Trophy 2025–26, India’s premier U-23 first-class competition, will be played in two phases, Phase 1 from October 16 to November 5, 2025, and Phase 2 from January 23 to February 9, 2026, as per the BCCI’s official domestic schedule. The tournament retains key innovations from last season, including the removal of the coin toss, allowing the visiting team to choose whether to bat or bowl first, and a newly designed points system that rewards teams not only for outright wins but also for first-innings leads and individual batting and bowling efforts in the first innings.

The 2024–25 season of the Col. C. K. Nayudu Trophy had some truly remarkable performances that make this season even more interesting. The most talked-about innings came from Haryana’s Yashvardhan Dalal, who created history by smashing an unbeaten 426 against Mumbai, a knock that included 46 boundaries and 12 sixes. His record-breaking innings was obviously the key in setting up a mammoth opening partnership with Arsh Ranga, and it comfortably went down as one of the highest individual scores ever recorded in Indian domestic cricket. The tournament final was another highlight, where Punjab edged out Mumbai to lift the title, and players from both teams hold the ability to become the best bowler in the world.

Col CK Nayudu Trophy Schedule 2025

The Col CK Nayudu Trophy schedule for the 2025–26 season is structured into two distinct phases for both the Elite and Plate groups. The Elite group’s Phase 1 is set to begin on October 16, 2025, and conclude by November 5, 2025. It is important to note that the exact Col. C.K. Nayudu Trophy venues have not been officially announced for some of the matches.

Col CK Nayudu Trophy Schedule Phase 2 (Elite Group)

Phase 2 will run from January 23 to February 2, 2026, with further matches on February 6 and February 9, 2026. Both groups will follow a home-and-away format.

Col CK Nayudu Trophy Schedule (Plate Group)

The Plate group will also start on October 16 and end on November 5, 2025, like the Elite group. Then phase 2 will begin on 23 January, 2026 and will continue till 9 February, 2025.

Col CK Nayudu Trophy Squads

As of now, the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) is the only state body to have officially announced its squad for the upcoming Col. C.K. Nayudu Trophy 2025–26 season. The squad features Boopathi Vaishna Kumar as captain, and Mohamed Ali S as vice-captain, a blend of experienced players and emerging talents who can become the best cricketer in the world in the future.

Other state associations are yet to announce their squads for the tournament. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is expected to release the full list of squads in the coming weeks. Once announced, these squads will provide a clearer picture of the teams' preparations and strategies for the season.

Tamil Nadu U-23 Squad

Boopathi Vaishna Kumar (captain), Mohamed Ali S (vice-captain), Manav Parakh, Jayant RK, Kiran Karthikeyan, Santhosh Kumar D, Athish SR, Amith Sathvik VP, Vignesh P, Sachin Rathi, Pravin R, Karthick Manikandan VS, Govinth G, Arunachalam V, Sachin B, and Sunny Sandhu.