The Duleep Trophy used to be a major event on the Indian cricket calendar, one that tested the mettle of cricketers at the zonal level. Not anymore. In recent years, the significance of the 58-year-old tournament has faded significantly and the BCCI's decision to use it as an experiment for pink-ball cricket from 2016 did not strike a chord with the masses.

Yesterday, former India stumper Syed Saba Karim, the BCCI's GM (Cricket Operations), told PTI that the tournament will not be played with the pink ball this year.