Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has finally responded to mounting criticism from cricket fans over the complete lack of live coverage for the ongoing Duleep Trophy 2025 quarterfinals. After days of social media outrage targeting the world’s richest cricket board for failing to broadcast one of India’s premier domestic tournaments, BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia announced that the final match will be telecast live from September 11-15. The controversy erupted when fans discovered that despite featuring prominent Indian cricketers like Mohammed Shami, Kuldeep Yadav, and Arshdeep Singh, the quarterfinal matches beginning August 28 at Bengaluru’s Centre of Excellence received zero television or digital coverage.
Digital blackout of Duleep Trophy 2025 that sparked controversy
The absence of live coverage for the Duleep Trophy’s opening matches triggered an unprecedented wave of criticism across social media platforms. Cricket enthusiasts, already starved of cricket action since India‘s Test series against England concluded on August 4, expressed their frustration at being unable to watch domestic cricket’s second-most important tournament.
The criticism intensified as fans pointed out the irony that “even gully cricket matches are streamed live” on YouTube, while a prestigious tournament featuring India’s top cricketers remained invisible to viewers. The backlash was particularly sharp given that the 2024 edition of the tournament was fully broadcast on Sports18 Network and JioCinema.
BCCI breaks silence on Duleep Trophy broadcast backlash
In response to the mounting pressure, BCCI Secretary Saikia attempted to clarify the board’s position, stating: “There will be a live telecast of the final of the Duleep Trophy. We have an agreement with our broadcaster to ensure live telecast of 100 days of domestic cricket, which means that all our domestic tournaments are covered live“. However, this explanation has done little to satisfy fans, who question why only the final receives coverage while semifinals and quarterfinals remain blacked out.
The BCCI’s current broadcast partner, Viacom18, secured the rights to Indian cricket through a five-year deal worth ₹5,963 crore from September 2023 to March 2028. Under this agreement, Viacom18 holds both television and digital rights for all BCCI domestic and international matches, with Sports18 handling TV broadcasts and JioCinema managing digital streaming. Despite this comprehensive deal covering “100 days of domestic cricket,” sources suggest that the broadcaster’s contract allows for only a fixed number of telecast days, requiring careful management of which matches receive coverage.
The tournament itself has proceeded without visual documentation for fans, featuring compelling storylines including Mohammed Shami‘s return from injury and standout performances from players like Yash Dhull and Ankit Kumar, whose centuries helped North Zone advance to the semifinals. Central Zone also secured their semifinal spot through impressive displays from Danish Malewar, Rajat Patidar, and Yash Rathod. These performances, which could have captivated cricket audiences nationwide, remain largely unseen due to the broadcast blackout, highlighting the disconnect between the BCCI’s stated commitment to domestic cricket and its practical implementation of coverage policies.
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