GAVASKAR INTER-STATE ACADEMY TROPHY — TOURNAMENT STRUCTURE
STAGE 1: GROUP LEAGUE (FOUNDATION PHASE)
Total Teams: 8 Academies
Groups: 2 Groups (Group A & Group B)
Teams per Group: 4
Each academy plays three matches in the group stage.
Matches are scheduled across back-to-back days, ensuring fatigue and consistency are tested.
Group Rules:
Each team plays 3 league matches
Win: 2 points
No Result: 1 point
Loss: 0 points
Net Run Rate (NRR) used only if points are tied
Qualification Rule:
Top 2 teams from each group qualify
Total teams advancing: 4
This stage is designed to filter out:
Inconsistent performers
Teams dependent on individual brilliance
Squads unable to recover quickly between matches
Only academies with depth and repeatability survive.
STAGE 2: SUPER FOUR ROUND (VERIFICATION PHASE)
Qualified Teams: 4
Format: Round-robin among the four teams
Each of the four teams plays three matches, facing every other qualified team once.
Points Carry Forward: ❌ No
Every team starts fresh at zero.
Super Four Rules:
Win: 2 points
No Result: 1 point
Loss: 0 points
This phase exists to answer one question:
Can you stay correct when everyone left is as disciplined as you?
Fatigue is no longer accidental here—it is guaranteed.
Qualification Rule:
Top 2 teams on points table qualify for the final
NRR used only if unavoidable
Total matches per team so far:
Group Stage: 3
Super Four: 3
Total before Final: 6 matches
STAGE 3: FINAL SERIES (SEPARATION PHASE)
Qualified Teams: Top 2 from Super Four
Format: Best-of-Three Series
This is not a single final.
This is intentional.
Because one match can lie.
Three matches rarely do.
Final Series Structure:
Match 1
Match 2
Match 3 (if required)
Winner:
First team to win two matches wins the Gavaskar Inter-State Academy Trophy
There is no reserve day advantage, no prior points carry, and no safety net.
Every match resets pressure.
WHY THIS FORMAT MATTERS (STORY & SYSTEM LOGIC)
Group Stage tests survival and basic consistency
Super Four tests adaptability under elite repetition
Final Series tests mental durability and recovery under spotlight
A flashy player might win a match.
A disciplined academy wins a tournament.
This structure ensures:
No early hero is safe
No slow starter is eliminated unfairly
The final winner is proven, not lucky
TOTAL MATCH LOAD FOR FINALISTS
Group Stage: 3 matches
Super Four: 3 matches
Final Series: up to 3 matches
Maximum Matches Played: 9
Minimum Matches to Win Tournament: 8
At Under-14 level, this is brutal—but realistic for elite academies.