3 things to look forward to in Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024-25 ft. Mohammed Shami’s fitness

The 2024-25 Vijay Hazare Trophy, India’s premier domestic 50-over cricket tournament, kicked off today, Saturday, December 21, 2024, and will run until January 18, 2025, across various venues nationwide.

The 38 teams participating in the tournament have been divided into five groups. This competition offers players the perfect stage to showcase their talent and form, potentially paving their way into the national team selection.

Several prominent names, including India’s T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav, will be in action. With the tournament underway, here are three things to look forward to in the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024-25.

---

#1 Mohammed Shami’s fitness

Indian pacer Mohammed Shami, whose last international appearance came in the final of the 2023 ODI World Cup, has faced concerns regarding his fitness.

After the World Cup, Shami was sidelined due to an ankle injury that required surgery and extensive rehabilitation at the NCA. He made his much-anticipated return in the fifth round of the 2024-25 Ranji Trophy, playing against Madhya Pradesh on November 13.

Since then, Shami has also represented Bengal in the 2024 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy as he continues to prove his fitness. He will again be under close observation as he participates in the 2024-25 Vijay Hazare Trophy, although he has been rested for the opening match against Delhi.

There have been reports of miscommunication regarding Shami's fitness status between the NCA and the Indian team. After the third Test of the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Indian skipper Rohit Sharma addressed the situation, saying:

"I think it's high time somebody from NCA talked about him. That's our national cricket academy where he is rehabbing. Those guys are the ones who need to come up and give us some kind of update. But look, I understand he's playing a lot of cricket back home, but there have been some complaints about his knee as well. The last thing you want is the player coming here and then pulling out in the middle of the game. You know what happens when that kind of thing happens."

"There's no way we want to take that chance unless we are like, not a hundred percent, 200 hundred percent sure. We're not going to take any risk. But yeah, like I said in the last press conference, the door is open. If those guys at the NCA feel that he's okay to go and recovered, and play, I will be happy to have him," Rohit added.

The 2024-25 Vijay Hazare Trophy could offer greater clarity on the veteran pacer's fitness as he looks to prove his readiness for the 2025 Champions Trophy.

---

#2 Can Shreyas Iyer add another trophy to his cabinet?

Indian cricketer Shreyas Iyer has had a remarkable 2024, securing four championships, two of which came under his leadership. He led Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to their third IPL title in 2024, scoring 351 runs, including two fifties.

Iyer was also a key member of the Mumbai squad that won the 2023-24 Ranji Trophy and the 2024 Irani Cup. Most recently, Mumbai triumphed in the 2024 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, their second win in history and first under Iyer's captaincy. The 30-year-old accumulated 345 runs, with one century and one fifty.

Iyer will continue as Mumbai's captain in the 2024-25 Vijay Hazare Trophy, aiming to add another trophy to his impressive collection while looking to deliver strong performances with the bat.

---

#3 All eyes on Ishan Kishan as he continues to find his way back into the Indian team

Ishan Kishan was a regular member of the Indian team until he withdrew midway through the 2023-24 South Africa series, citing mental fatigue, which caused him to miss the two-match Test series. Following this, he struggled to make his way back into the team, with management advising him to play domestic cricket. However, his reluctance to do so led to his exclusion from the BCCI contract.

Kishan made his comeback in the Buchi Babu tournament in August 2024 and has since been actively participating in domestic cricket, including the Duleep Trophy, Ranji Trophy, and most recently, the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, where he scored 161 runs in six innings, including one half-century.

The 26-year-old will lead Jharkhand in the 2024-25 Vijay Hazare Trophy. This tournament provides a valuable opportunity for the wicketkeeper-batter to regain his form ahead of India’s upcoming white-ball series against England in January-February 2025. The southpaw has played 61 matches for India across formats, amassing 1,807 runs, including 14 fifties and a century.