Outrageous: BCCI draws backlash for not broadcasting Duleep Trophy quarterfinal

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), widely regarded as the richest cricket board in the world, has come under heavy criticism for failing to provide any live broadcast or streaming of the 2025 Duleep Trophy quarterfinals.

On Thursday, August 28, the tournament began with North Zone taking on East Zone at the BCCI Centre of Excellence Ground in Bengaluru, while Central Zone faced North East Zone at the adjacent Ground B.

What makes this decision more surprising is the board’s recent push to involve star players in domestic cricket, with high-profile names like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and KL Rahul returning to the domestic fold after India’s 1-3 Test series defeat in Australia earlier this year.

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The BCCI’s directive was seen as a way to boost the relevance of tournaments like the Duleep Trophy. Yet, when the opportunity came to showcase the first-class tournament on mainstream platforms, fans were left disappointed.

This year’s Duleep Trophy, which runs from August 28 to September 15, has returned to the historic zonal format - Central, East, North, North East, South, and West - bringing fresh excitement among fans and selectors. The competition is a vital stage for both established and fringe players to push their cases ahead of upcoming international assignments.

‘Truly awful’

Despite its stature, the tournament is not being shown live on television, and fans were left frustrated by the lack of clarity over streaming options.

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A fan voiced frustration, comparing the absence of Duleep Trophy streaming to even local football tournaments being shown in HD, calling it unfair to both players and fans who are left with only scorecards to follow.

“Duleep Trophy should have been streamed. There's a local football tournament going on in my area, that is also being streamed in HD quality. One of India's premier domestic tournaments, and fans can just see the scorecard. Unfair on fans, unfair on players as well,” one fan wrote.

Another fan slammed the BCCI, saying it’s outrageous that while even minor tennis tournaments are streamed live, the Duleep Trophy—a key first-class event starting India’s domestic season—remains untelevised, calling the situation “truly awful.”

“In an era where even the smallest tennis ball tournaments are streamed live, it’s outrageous that BCCI doesn’t broadcast the Duleep Trophy, a premier first-class tournament that kicks off India’s domestic season. Truly awful,” another fan wrote.

Although the quarterfinal matches are not being broadcast, it is still uncertain whether the semi-finals, scheduled to begin on September 4, and the final, set for September 11, will receive live coverage or streaming. Fans across the country are eagerly awaiting confirmation, hoping that at least the later stages of the tournament will be accessible to viewers.