First time following the Vijay Hazare Trophy? Don’t miss this complete 2025-26 season guide, it covers past winners, this year’s champion predictions, tournament format, and everything you need to know!
Vijay Hazare Trophy, named after former India captain Vijay Samuel Hazare, began in 1993-94 as the Ranji One-Day Trophy and was renamed in 2002-03.
Once a small zonal event, it has now grown into India’s premier domestic one-day tournament, featuring 38 teams competing under the BCCI each season.
List of all winners and runners-up for at least the past 10 year
| Season | Winner | Runner-Up |
|---|---|---|
| 2014–15 | Karnataka | Punjab |
| 2015–16 | Gujarat | Delhi |
| 2016–17 | Tamil Nadu | Bengal |
| 2017–18 | Karnataka | Saurashtra |
| 2018–19 | Mumbai | Delhi |
| 2019–20 | Karnataka | Tamil Nadu |
| 2020–21 | Mumbai | Uttar Pradesh |
| 2021–22 | Himachal Pradesh | Tamil Nadu |
| 2022–23 | Saurashtra | Maharashtra |
| 2023–24 | Haryana | Rajasthan |
| 2024–25 | Karnataka | Vidarbha |
Note on All-Time Success:
As new seasons unfold, this leaderboard may shif
Absolutely. Strong performances in this tournament often catch the eyes of national selectors and IPL franchises. Many cricketers have used Vijay Hazare as a platform to launch their higher-tier careers.
The 2025-2026 champion prize has not yet been announced, but we can refer to the 2024-2025 season’s champion and runner-up prizes for reference:
(BCCI may announce updated figures closer to the 2025–26 final.)
Who do you think will lift the trophy this season? Cast your vote below 👇
Below are the five teams most likely to win the tournament:
Mumbai tops Vijay Hazare Trophy expert predictions as outright favorites, boosted by Rohit Sharma's Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26 participation in 3-4 early rounds (Dec 24 vs Sikkim, Dec 26 vs Uttarakhand, etc.).
Rohit's opening aggression (projected 150+ runs at SR 100+) pairs with Shreyas Iyer's stability and Shardul Thakur's seam.
Group C toppers with 4 prior titles; rationale: 60% chase success in 2025 SMAT, Rohit elevating averages by 15%.
Defending champs (5th title in 2024-25) hold firm in Group A, leveraging unbeaten momentum and spin depth (Krunal Pandya, Vidwath Kaverappa).
Expert analysis highlights their 40% final rate since 2010 and Ranji 2025-26 starts (top Elite Group). Rationale: Batting anchors like Mayank Agarwal for 300+ totals on turning tracks; edge over Tamil Nadu in head-to-heads.
Virat Kohli Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26 return catapults Delhi from underdogs to contenders in Group C. Kohli's middle-order mastery (last played 2010; projected 200+ runs) addresses 2025 inconsistencies, alongside Yash Dhull's promise and Navdeep Saini's pace.
Rationale: 10-15% win boost per expert models; upset potential vs Maharashtra/Punjab. Kohli's chasing nous (ODI SR 94) shines in knockouts.
Record 5-time winners thrive in Group A with explosive batting (Sai Sudharsan, >40 avg in 2025) and Ashwin's guile (if fit).
Vijay Hazare Trophy predictions praise their SMAT semis run and adaptable spin. Rationale: Finals experience (multiple 2020s appearances); counter to Karnataka via high-scoring games.
Key: Washington Sundar all-round impact.
Group D dark horses with 2022-23 title and resilient bowling (Jaydev Unadkat's death overs). Rationale: 50% semifinal rate last five editions; 2025 Ranji recoveries signal grit.
Unaffected by stars but exploits diluted groups; watch Arpit Vasavada's depth vs Haryana.
10 IPL star players set to shine in the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26 (Dec 24, 2025–Jan 18, 2026), with their teams, roles, and expected impact. Optimized for Vijay Hazare Trophy IPL stars searches.
Let’s take a look back at the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024-25 statistics and the most outstanding records in its history.
Notable batting highlights include Ruturaj Gaikwad's incredible feat of scoring 43 runs in a single over against Uttar Pradesh in 2022, equaling the List A record and becoming the first batter to hit seven sixes in an over across all cricket formats.
These exceptional bowling performances demonstrate the tournament's role in developing match-winning bowlers who can perform under pressure.
Tamil Nadu's historic 506/2 surpassed England's 498/4 against Netherlands to become the first team to cross 500 runs in men's List A cricket. The innings featured a world-record opening partnership between Narayan Jagadeesan (277) and Sai Sudharsan (154), with 45 fours and 17 sixes at a staggering run rate of 10.12.
These Vijay Hazare Trophy records and statistics tell stories of extraordinary talent and match-winning performances. Stars like Shubman Gill, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Suryakumar Yadav, and Prithvi Shaw have all used strong performances as springboards to international success and lucrative IPL contracts.
Cricket fans have multiple options to catch all the action from the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26 live:
1.JioCinema (Free):
2.FanCode (Subscription):
3.Official BCCI Platform
4.Dubai7
Watch Vijay Hazare Trophy on Dubai7 App and bet on your favorite player or team with just one click.
All matches typically start at 9:00 AM IST during the group stages, with knockout matches potentially having different timings based on scheduling requirements.
The format for Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025–26 has been refined to balance competitiveness, opportunity for emerging teams, and clarity in progression. Here’s the breakdown:
Division Structure: Elite & Plate
Elite Division typically comprises 32 teams, split into four groups (A, B, C, D) of eight teams each；Plate Division houses the remaining teams (often 6 or 7) in a separate group.
The Vijay Hazare Trophy is divided into Elite and Plate groups to organize the 38 teams by strength, ensuring fairer and more competitive play.
The Elite Group features the top-performing teams, while the Plate Group focuses on developing emerging sides. Through a promotion and relegation system, top Plate teams can advance to the Elite Group, while weaker Elite teams may be relegated.
Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26 Schedule
| Stage | Dates | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Group Stage | Dec 24, 2025 – Jan 8, 2026 | Seven rounds of round-robin matches within groups. Multiple games played simultaneously across venues. Teams compete every 2-3 days. |
| Pre-Quarterfinals | Jan 12, 2026 | Four runners-up from Elite Groups battle for the last two quarterfinal spots. |
| Quarterfinals | Jan 14, 2026 | Eight teams (4 group winners + 2 pre-QF winners + 2 best runners-up) compete for semifinal berths. |
| Semifinals | Jan 16, 2026 | Top four teams clash for a place in the grand final. A reserve day is available. |
| Final | Jan 18, 2026 | The championship decider, played with a reserve day to ensure a result. |
Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26 Venues
| City | State | Stadium / Venue | Key Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ahmedabad | Gujarat | Narendra Modi Stadium complex & other grounds | Excellent pitch conditions, world-class facilities, largest cricket stadium in the world. |
| Rajkot | Gujarat | Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium | Reliable pitches, excellent infrastructure, and strong local cricketing culture. |
| Jaipur | Rajasthan | Sawai Mansingh Stadium | Historic ground with good spectator capacity and balanced pitch for both batters and bowlers. |
| Bangalore | Karnataka | M. Chinnaswamy Stadium & adjoining grounds | Pleasant weather, fast outfield, home venue of defending champions Karnataka. |
The BCCI strategically selects neutral venues to ensure:
The compressed schedule means that teams often have to travel between venues, creating a rhythm that tests their cricket skills and physical endurance. This intense format prepares players for the challenges they will encounter at the next level of professional cricket.
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