Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Ishan Kishan, Rishabh Pant and Shubman Gill headline the opening day of the Vijay Hazare Trophy. With the Board of Control for Cricket in India making it mandatory for the national teams to participate in domestic competitions regularly, the tournament is back with new significance and a packed calendar.
The Vijay Hazare Trophy remains India’s first fifty compared to domestic competition and the inclusion of international stars greatly enhances the quality of cricket on display. A higher level of competition inevitably brings higher stakes, with performances closely watched by selectors and fans alike.
While the focus will naturally be on Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli on Day 1, some compelling sub-plots are about to unfold for avid followers of the domestic game.
Shubman Gill, who was recently left out of India’s T20 World Cup squad, will be eager to make a statement when his side take on Maharashtra. Meanwhile, Suryakumar Yadav, India’s T20I captain, will be looking to halt the poor run of form when Mumbai face Sikkim at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur.
Vijay Hazare Trophy: Where to Watch Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma Live?
It’s not just the players that are under scrutiny. The Sawai Mansingh Stadium, which had been in a deteriorating condition for several months, underwent urgent renovations to host high profile home matches. Administrative turmoil within the Rajasthan Cricket Association, including pending elections and governance issues that brought operations to a standstill, have temporarily taken a back seat as stars like Rohit Sharma, Shardul Thakur and Suryakumar Yadav take the field on Wednesday.
On the cricket front, Ishana Kishana’s Jharkhand, fresh from their Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy triumph, will take on heavyweights Karnataka at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Kishan has been in blistering form on the domestic circuit and will be looking to carry that momentum forward as he continues in the T20 World Cup in 2026.
Along with Kishan, the focus will also be on Rishabh Pant, who leads the Delhi side in Virat Kohli’s return to domestic cricket. Pant has endured a tough few months in international cricket and will be keen to reassert his credentials in the ODI format. While KL Rahul remains a strong first choice wicket-taker in one-day cricket, Pant will be determined to stake his claim again as a contender across the three formats.
Vijay Hazare Trophy: Match of the Day
The clash between Punjab and Maharashtra stands out as the highlight of the opening day. With the likes of Shubman Gill, Abhishek Sharma, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Prithvi Shaw, Arshdeep Singh and Jalaj Saxena in action, this is arguably the most star-studded contest of Round 1.
The match will be played at Anantam Ground in Jaipur. However, much to the disappointment of fans, there will be no live television or official live coverage of the match.
A win in this encounter would give both sides a significant confidence boost at the start of the tournament.
What is different about the Vijay Hazare Trophy?
One of the biggest differences between Vijay Hazare Trophy matches and one-day internationals is the start time. International matches in India usually start at 1:30 PM, while Vijay Hazare’s matches keep the traditional 9:00 AM start.
An earlier start offers fast bowlers more assistance in the opening overs, often making the first ten overs a fascinating and decisive phase of the game.
Vijay Hazare Trophy Live Streaming Details
Only two matches of the 1st round of Vijay Hazare Trophy will be telecast. Pondicherry vs Tamil Nadu and Hyderabad vs Uttar Pradesh are scheduled to be played live on December 24.
The Delhi vs Andhra Pradesh and Mumbai vs Sikkim matches will not be broadcast or live streamed on Wednesday.
However, fans can follow the live scores and ball updates on the official BCCI website.
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Issued by:
Kingshuk Kusari
Published on:
December 24, 2025
