Bangalore: The BCCI technical committee on Wednesday recommended the two-tier Ranji Trophy format to the junior tornament as well.

The committee, which met here, suggested that the under-19 Cooch Behar Trophy, played on a zonal league basis, be organised in the similar format as that of the Ranji Trophy.

“The only difference is that this under-19 tournament will have 25 teams (minus Railway and Services teams), while the Ranji Trophy has 27 teams,” committee chairman Sunil Gavaskar said after the meeting on Wednesday.

The suggestion was to put 15 teams into the elite division — three groups of five teams each — and 10 teams in the plate division — two groups of five teams each, he said. He pointed out that the panel was only a recommendary committee and there was nothing binding on the board.

The committee recommended holding of under-19 tournaments in one zone, as there were fears that junior cricketers spend too much time away from home and on travelling and are not able to concentrate on exams.

The committee felt that the four-day Vinoo Mankad Trophy tourney should be converted into a one-day championship, with the winner from each zone getting a berth for the knock-out stage.

For the C. K. Nayudu Trophy, under-19 cricketers should play one-day games at the zonal level, the committee recommended.

“The ICC code of conduct should apply to all tournaments in India... not just the Ranji Trophy matches... to junior tournaments,” Gavaskar said.

The committee also felt that there was no need to enhance the duration of the league phase for the Ranji Trophy from the present four days to five.

Regarding suggestions at the recent Captain’s Conclave in Mumbai on doing away with the toss to avoid ‘doctored pitches’ by the host team, Gavaskar said since it was a radical idea, captains were told to have wider consultations with senior players and umpires and then pass on the feedback.

“Since we did not get any feedback, we have decided not to go ahead with it,” he added.