Ranji Trophy 2024-25: What is Elite and Plate division? Explained

(Courtesy : BCCI)
The Ranji Trophy 2024-25 will be played in two legs, starting on October 11, 2024.
The Ranji Trophy 2024-25, the premier red-ball tournament of India’s domestic season, will get underway on October 11, 2024. Mumbai are the defending champions, having won their 42nd title in the last season.
The tournament this time will be played in two phases, split by the 20-over Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and the 50-over Vijay Hazare Trophy tournaments. The BCCI took this decision to have the competition in two legs due to weather-related issues in North India and also to manage the workloads of the fast bowlers.
How many teams will play in the Ranji Trophy 2024-25?
A total of 38 teams are part of the Ranji Trophy 2024-25 season.
What is the format of Ranji Trophy 2024-25?
The 38 teams are separated into two tiers: Elite and Plate divisions. 32 teams are included in the Elite division while the rest eight teams are part of the Plate division.
What are the Elite and Plate divisions in the Ranji Trophy?
The Elite and Plate divisions are used to promote and relegate teams after the season concludes. At the end of the season, two teams are relegated from Elite to Plate and two teams are promoted from Plate to Elite.
In the Elite competition, 32 teams are divided into four groups of eight sides each and they all play seven league games, with the top two from each group progressing to the quarter-finals. The bottom two teams from the four Elite groups combined will be relegated to Plate division.
In the Plate competition, the six teams play each other once, with the top four making it to the semi-finals. The finalists in the Plate division qualify for the Elite division for the next season.
Last season, Goa and Manipur were relegated from Elite to the Plate division, while Nagaland and Hyderabad were promoted to the Elite Division.
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