The C.K. Nayudu Trophy is one of India’s leading first-class domestic cricket competition. It began in 1973-74 in the honor of India’s first test cricket captain, C.K. Nayudu. Initially, the tournament was staged as an U-22 competition. However, it has now become an U-23 competition predominantly.
The tournament features 38 teams, each representing a state of India. These teams are divided into four Elite groups and one Plate group. The points table from the previous year’s edition are considered for grouping the teams. The top two teams from the Plate group from the previous year are promoted to the Elite groups, whereas teams with the lowest points in the Elite groups get relegated to the Plate group. The Plate group consists of six teams.
Teams in each group play their respective group member teams in a round-robin format. A win, loss, and no result is worth six, zero, and one point respectively. If the first innings score is tied for both teams in a drawn match, then each team gets one point. If the same condition applies in both innings, then each team gets three points. A win by an innings or by 10 wickets leads to the winning side get one bonus point. In a drawn match, if a team has a lead in the first innings, then that teams shall get three points.
Since 2007, Mumbai is the only side to have won the title thrice. Based on their performance in the CK Nayudu Trophy, players get an opportunity to be chosen for the premier first class domestic competition, the Ranji Trophy. The Ranji Trophy paves the way for a player to get to the national side.
