Shami, Pandya, Arshdeep y Gill intentan noquear a Vijay Hazare antes del Trofeo de Campeones ICC

The Vijay Hazare Trophy (VHT) knockout stage is set to begin on Thursday, and it promises to bring much-needed excitement to India’s domestic one-day scene. The likes of Mayank Agarwal, Abhishek Sharma, and Karun Nair are making bucketloads of runs but the focus will move to the candidates likely to feature in the upcoming ODI assignments. With the ICC Champions Trophy starting next month and a crucial ODI series against England kicking off on February 6, several top Indian stars will return to the domestic fold to prove their mettle.

Shami, Hardik, and Arshdeep eye key roles in ODI setup

One of the standout inclusions for the knockouts is Bengal pacer Mohammed Shami, who is on the road to full recovery after undergoing heel surgery. Shami’s performance in the 2023 ODI World Cup was instrumental in India’s campaign, and he will be eager to find his rhythm in the limited overs format once again. Having featured in only two matches in the Vijay Hazare Trophy so far, Shami’s return for Bengal’s crucial fixtures will be closely monitored by the selectors.

All-rounder Hardik Pandya will be another key player to watch as he lines up for Baroda. Hardik, who hasn’t been a regular feature in India’s recent ODI campaigns, will look to use this opportunity to re-establish himself in the one-day setup. His bowling fitness will be a major focus, as India will need his services as a pace-bowling all-rounder for both the England series and the Champions Trophy.

Meanwhile, Arshdeep Singh’s impressive showing in this tournament, where he leads the wicket charts with 17 scalps, has bolstered his chances of cementing a spot in India’s ODI side. Known primarily for his T20 prowess, Arshdeep’s ability to adapt to the longer white-ball format will be under scrutiny during Punjab’s knockout fixtures. With dark clouds over Shami and Jasprit Bumrah’s fitness, Arshdeep could be the dark horse pick India need.

Shubman Gill should play to regain form before ICC Champions Trophy

According to the Hindu, star batter Shubman Gill is also in the reckoning to play for Punjab. The team from the northern part of the country ended with 6 wins out of 7 matches and will play Vidarbha in the quarterfinal. The likes of Prabhsimran Singh and Abhishek Sharma have been in incredible form and Punjab will have spoilt for choices if Gill does announce his availability. Meanwhile for Gill, he should look to play in order to regain his form. He had a horrible BGT 2024/25, making just 93 runs at 18.60. He would surely be short in confidence, thus needing some games to have his rhythm back.

Knockouts for Vijay Hazare Trophy