New Delhi. More star power is going to come in Vijay Hazare Trophy in the new year. International players Shubhman Gill, Ravindra Jadeja and KL Rahul will be joining their respective state teams for the domestic 50-over tournament, while the national team will be preparing for the three-match ODI series against New Zealand next month.
Cricbuzz can confirm that these players have informed their state associations about their availability for VHT to fulfill their mandatory domestic commitments. Test and ODI captain Gill is expected to play the matches on January 3 and 6 for Punjab, who will take on Sikkim and Goa in Jaipur on those days. Punjab, who are in Group C with powerhouse Mumbai, are fourth with two wins from three matches. He will soon have to leave the state team to join the Indian team, which is expected to assemble for the first ODI (January 11) against New Zealand in Baroda on January 7-8.
It is learned that Jadeja has told Saurashtra Cricket Association that he will play matches against Services and Gujarat on January 6 and 8. Saurashtra team is currently playing its league matches in Aloor, Karnataka. They have one win from three matches and are placed sixth in the eight-team group, which also includes Rishabh Pant’s Delhi team. The Karnataka State Cricket Association could not immediately confirm which matches Rahul would play, but sources revealed that he is likely to play against Tripura and Rajasthan in Ahmedabad on January 3 and 6.
Karnataka are second in Group A with a 100 per cent win record in three matches. Meanwhile, Mumbai Cricket Association has confirmed that Yashasvi Jaiswal has reached Jaipur and is expected to play Mumbai’s match against Goa on Wednesday (December 31). Jaiswal was ill for some time and had to miss the first three matches, and the left-handed opener could play in the match against Goa. Mumbai is on top in Group C with three wins.
From Rohit Sharma to Virat Kohli and Pant, most of the international players – barring Jasprit Bumrah – have come to fulfill their domestic responsibilities in the Vijay Hazare Trophy (VHT), in which the BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) has made it mandatory to participate. Bumrah is a special case as the BCCI is avoiding putting too much workload on the country’s premier bowler. Kohli, who has played two matches, will be back for the Delhi match on January 6, which Pant is captaining. The wicketkeeper-batsman has promised to play all VHT matches for Delhi.
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