Mumbai: The BCCI working committee, which met here on Sunday, decided to change the Ranji Trophy format from next season to enable the plate division toppers to fight for the trophy by including the top two in the knock-out quarter final phase with six elite division teams.

The BCCI also decided to double the infrastructure subsidy to associations from Rs 25 to Rs 50 crore. It also ratified the appointment of Gary Kirsten as the national coach and Dav Whatmore as the director of operations of the National Cricket Academy, besides appointing former India batsman W.V. Raman as the under-19 team’s coach for the upcoming tour of South Africa.

Treasurer N. Srinivasan told reporters that the decision to change the Ranji Trophy format from next year followed a suggestion from the technical committee headed by Sunil Gavaskar. “This was done as per a suggestion from the technical committee. Some of the plate group teams felt they were not playing for the Ranji Trophy,” Srinivasan said.

The working committee also approved the three-Test tour of India by South Africa from mid-March 2008 and the England A team’s participation in this year’s Duleep Trophy as the sixth outfit.

“W.V. Raman and Rakesh Yadav were appointed as the under-19 team’s coach and manager for the tour of South Africa, respectively, commencing on December 28,” he said.