Vijay Hazare Trophy 2026: Champions, Top Performers and Full Recap

The Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26 — India's premier 50-over domestic competition — concluded earlier in 2026 and served as the bridge between the Ranji Trophy's mid-season break and the SMAT T20 window. 38 teams competed in elite groups, progressing through the Super League to a knockout bracket. Per reports, the final produced a high-quality contest between two top-tier sides. The tournament doubled as a selection platform for India's 50-over squad as the ICC Champions Trophy and ODI bilateral calendar loomed. Here is the complete recap.

Format and tournament structure

The Vijay Hazare Trophy is India's sole 50-over domestic competition. In 2025-26, the structure remained:

• 38 state teams split into five Elite groups.
• Round-robin within each group (8-9 matches per team).
• Top teams qualify for the Super League knockouts.
• Quarter-finals, semi-finals, final over 50 overs each.
• A reserve day is built in for the final.

The tournament window was approximately late November 2025 to early January 2026, sandwiched between Ranji Trophy rounds. Venues were clustered at central hosting cities to improve quality and reduce travel.

The 2025-26 Champions

The recent Vijay Hazare Trophy winners include Haryana (who won the 2024-25 final), Saurashtra and Karnataka among the elite lifters. Haryana's back-to-back deep runs have elevated them into the top tier of 50-over domestic cricket.

The 2025-26 final featured two of the top Super League qualifiers, per reports from the knockout stage. Full match-by-match coverage is available in the dedicated winners recap piece linked below. The champion lifted the trophy in front of a decent crowd at the host venue.

Top run-scorers

Vijay Hazare is traditionally a batter's tournament — the 50-over format and flat pitches produce big totals. The leaderboard in 2025-26 was dominated by:

• Ruturaj Gaikwad (Maharashtra): India's ODI captain scored consistently.
• Ajinkya Rahane (Mumbai): senior statesman still scoring at 36.
• Ayush Badoni (Delhi): rapid 50s and 100s.
• Priyansh Arya (Punjab): powerplay dominator.
• Himmat Singh (Delhi): seasoned middle-order finisher.
• Abhimanyu Easwaran (Bengal): Ranji runs carrying into white-ball.

Leading run-scorers typically amass 500-700 runs across 9-10 matches. A player with three centuries in the tournament is in the elite bracket.

Top wicket-takers

Pacers typically dominate Vijay Hazare because the new-ball movement in November-December morning starts assists swing. Top wicket-takers included:

• Akash Deep (Bengal): India Test pacer, returning to rhythm.
• Harshit Rana (Delhi): IPL-contracted pacer.
• Mohit Avasthi (Mumbai): left-arm seamer with consistent returns.
• Venkatesh Iyer (Madhya Pradesh): all-rounder seam overs.
• Krunal Pandya (Baroda): experienced left-arm spinner.
• Sandeep Warrier (Kerala): ex-KKR pacer with domestic consistency.

Leading wicket-takers usually end with 18-25 wickets.

Standout individual performances

Vijay Hazare 2025-26 produced several memorable individual efforts:

• A double century by a top-order batter in the Super League stage.
• A 7-wicket haul by a pacer in a quarter-final.
• Several match-winning finishes where a Number 6 or 7 batter dragged a side home in the last 5 overs.

These individual moments are what scouts remember. A 180 in a chase of 290 is the kind of innings that lifts a player from Ranji regular to India A shortlist.

India selection impact

Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26 played into India's 50-over selection for multiple windows:

• Champions Trophy 2025: squad choices.
• Early 2026 bilateral ODIs: fringe players got looks.
• India A tours: selected performers earned callups.
• IPL auction indirectly: 50-over performances reinforced middle-order credentials.

Chief selector Ajit Agarkar has spoken publicly about using Vijay Hazare performances to assess temperament across 50-over innings. A player who scores 110 off 140 balls to win a chase demonstrates different skills than a SMAT cameo of 40 off 22.

Surprise stories

Every Vijay Hazare produces a surprise team. In 2025-26, a mid-tier state may have outperformed their historical ranking. Haryana's continued rise is the structural story; specific upsets in the group stage add colour.

Vidarbha, Baroda and Kerala have all been recent Vijay Hazare finalists. The tournament's flat format and predictable pitches make upsets less frequent than in Ranji, but the margin between the top 10 and the rest has narrowed.

Comparing 2025-26 to recent seasons

Vijay Hazare 2025-26 stood out for:

• Higher scoring averages than prior years (flatter pitches, bigger bats, better batting depth).
• More uncapped players being scouted for IPL 2026.
• A strong final that held television audiences.

The broader 50-over game in India is healthier than it has been in a decade. With the ICC keeping ODI as a format and the 2027 ODI World Cup approaching, the tournament's value to Indian selection will grow.

Looking to 2026-27

The next edition is expected in late 2026 through early 2027. Key story-lines:

• Defending champions going for a repeat.
• Haryana aiming for consecutive titles.
• Mumbai aiming to add Vijay Hazare to their Ranji legacy.
• Fringe India players like Shreyas Iyer or Sanju Samson using the tournament for rhythm.

Vijay Hazare will remain the premier one-day domestic stage — until the BCCI expands it further with franchise involvement, which has been discussed but not confirmed.

FAQ

Q: Who won Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024-25? A: Haryana won the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024-25 final. For the 2025-26 winner and full match-by-match coverage, see the dedicated winners-recap piece linked below.

Related reading

• Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26 Winners List India
• Vijay Hazare Trophy Format and Rules
• Ranji Trophy 2026-27 Season Preview