Shreyas Iyer to Mohammed Shami - Five India players who will eye Vijay Hazare Tournament for Champions Trophy Selection

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The Vijay Hazare Trophy, India's premier domestic 50-over tournament, has always been a springboard for players to stake their claim for national selection.

As the road to the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 begins, the tournament holds immense significance for players looking to reignite their international careers.

For some of the fringe players in the Indian team, this year's Vijay Hazare Trophy offers the perfect platform to make a statement. With the hybrid model in play now, Indian team will be playing all their matches in UAE. Rohit Sharma and his troops haven't won a single ODI match in 2024 calendar year and would like to get into the groove quickly.

As per the current conditions, there are a few places up for grabs and as the Indian stars look to cement their places in the ODI team, here's a closer look at some of the players who will eye Vijay Hazare Trophy to make their case.

Shreyas Iyer (Mumbai)

Shreyas Iyer, a proven match-winner in white-ball cricket, has faced setbacks in recent years due to recurring injuries. Once a mainstay in India's middle order, Iyer's consistent performances in ODIs and T20Is were disrupted by a back injury that kept him out of action for months, including key international tournaments.

Representing Mumbai in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, Iyer has the opportunity to showcase his fitness and form. And Iyer has started his tournament in grand fashion, scoring a magnificent 114 off just 55 deliveries against Karnataka in the first match. If he continues his form, Shreyas will be definitely boarding the Dubai bound flight for Champions Trophy.

Varun Chakravarthy (Tamil Nadu)

Varun Chakravarthy's journey in international cricket has been a mix of brilliance and inconsistency. But a stellar IPL 2024 has provided him an India recall, as the spinner made his T20 comeback in the recent series against Bangladesh and South Africa.

The Indian team do require a finger spinner and Varun will have a huge opportunity in the Vijay Hazare to cement his place. Representing Tamil Nadu in the VHT, Chakravarthy has a chance to revive his career. With Indian conditions likely to favour spin in the Champions Trophy, a strong performance could make him a compelling choice for the selectors.

Ishan Kishan (Jharkhand)

Ishan Kishan, the dynamic wicketkeeper-batter, has had sporadic opportunities in India's ODI setup. While his aggressive batting and ability to adapt to different roles make him a valuable player, consistency has been his Achilles' heel.

Kishan has been out of the Indian team following the World Cup in India. The southpaw was left out due to not playing in the domestic tournament and was also removed from the central contract. Kishan has found himself down the pecking order and the Vijay Hazare is a monumental opportunity for a resurgence.

Mohammed Shami (Bengal)

Mohammed Shami's injury in the World Cup 2023 Final has seen him out of the India team since then. The Bengal pacer made his return to competitive cricket in the Ranji Trophy and had a good outing in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy as well. Now the Vijay Hazare will provide him another chance to get back to his full fitness and rhythm.

Swelling in his knee repeatedly has derailed his India return, but proper workload management and clearance from NCA shall provide the Green Light for Shami to return to limited-overs cricket for India.

Suryakumar Yadav (Mumbai)

Suryakumar Yadav, India's captain in the T20Is, has seen the ODI door closed for him. The dynamic batter hasn't played for India in the 50-over format since the World Cup in 2023 and Vijay Hazare is an opportunity to integrate himself in the format. India hasn't played too many ODIs in this year but a strong outing in the domestic tournament will definitely open the doors for the Mumbai star in the Champions Trophy.