Punjab have named Shubman Gill, Abhishek Sharma and Arshdeep Singh in a strong 18-man squad for the upcoming Vijay Hazare Trophy, with their campaign starting against Maharashtra on December 24.
Alongside three Indian internationals, Punjab have assembled a batting line-up with several proven power-hitters and all-rounders. Wicketkeeper Prabhsimran Singh is joined by Naman Dhir, Anmolpreet Singh, Ramandeep Singh, Sanvir Singh and spin-bowling all-rounder Harpreet Brar, giving the side depth and flexibility in the middle order.
Gurnoor Brar and Krish Bhagat will lead the pace attack with additional support from Gourav Choudhary and Sukhdeep Bajwa.
However, the availability of Gill, Abhishek and Arshdeep remains uncertain. India are scheduled to play three ODIs against New Zealand starting January 11, followed by a five-match T20I series from January 21. Shubman Gill suffered a major setback on Saturday after being left out of India’s 15-man squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup T20 announced by the Board of Control for Cricket in India.
The decision was surprising given Gill’s recent promotion as vice-captain under Suryakumar Yadav and his stint as an opener alongside Abhishek Sharma. However, the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee deliberated on his extended lean run in T20Is and reallocated the second opening slot to Sanju Samson. While Gill is set to lead India in the ODI format, Abhishek Sharma and Arshdeep Singh have retained their places in the T20I setup.
Punjab, who finished as losing quarter-finalists last season, will play all seven matches of the league stage in Jaipur. They have been drawn in a competitive group alongside Chhattisgarh, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Goa and Mumbai, with the league phase ending on January 8 – just three days before India’s first ODI against New Zealand. Arshdeep was the leading wicket taker for Punjab in the 2024–25 edition.
Notably, Punjab did not name a captain in the team’s official announcement.
Punjab Squad for Vijay Hazare Trophy: Shubman Gill, Abhishek Sharma, Arshdeep Singh, Prabhsimran Singh (wk), Harnoor Pannu, Anmolpreet Singh, Uday Saharan, Naman Dhir, Salil Arora (wk), Sanvir Singh, Ramandeep Singh, Jashanpreet Singh, Gurnoor Bragha Brar, Harravet B Sharghu Brar, Harpreish Choudhary, Sukhdeep Bajwa
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Issued by:
Saurabh Kumar
Published on:
December 22, 2025
