How Team India players have fared in the Vijay Hazare Trophy so far

A new season of India's most prestigious domestic one-day tournament, the Vijay Hazare Trophy, is currently underway. The tournament serves as a remarkable platform not only for the domestic talents to display their 50-over skills, but also for players from the national team to sharpen their skills.This year, there has been a lot of buzz around the Vijay Hazare Trophy primarily because quite a number of Team India players from across formats are taking part. While some of them have performed pretty impressively, a few others have disappointed to some extent.Here’s how Team India players have done in the 50-over tournament thus far:

#1 MS Dhoni

Dhoni has struggled so far in the Vijay Hazare Trophy

There was a lot of excitement around MS Dhoni playing in the Vijay Hazare Trophy after years. But his performance so far in the tournament has left a lot to be desired from India’s ODI skipper. In the 4 matches he has played for his state side Jharkhand so far, Dhoni has scored just 71 runs from 3 innings with a top score of 44.

This is certainly not what one expects from a player of the calibre and experience of MSD. However, we will be hoping that the wicket-keeper batsman picks up his performance in the upcoming matches.

#2 Ravichandran Ashwin

Ashwin continues to impress in domestic cricket too

Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin seems to have picked from where he left in the India-South Africa Test series. The lanky offie has picked up 7 wickets in 4 matches so far in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy with best figures of 3 for 31.

Ashwin will be returning to the ODI team on India’s tour to Australia starting next month and his good form may be crucial to Team India’s success in the series Down Under. As for now, he looks good enough to add more wickets to his List A career tally.

#3 Amit Mishra

Mishra got the first hattrick of this year’s Vijay Hazare Trophy

Everything seems to be falling into place for leg-spinner Amit Mishra at present as he is getting opportunities in the national team across formats to prove his ability. And if his performance in the Vijay Hazare Trophy is something to go by, he might be preferred over other premier spinners to assist Ravi Ashwin in the ODI bowling attack.

Representing Haryana, he has picked up 7 wickets in the tournament so far which includes a hattrick against Jammu & Kashmir. Mishra’s leggies may turn out to be a handful in Australian conditions.

#4 Ravindra Jadeja

Jadeja scored a century against MP

Ravindra Jadeja has not put a foot wrong ever since he made a comeback into the Indian Test team as he was one of the main contributors to his team’s victory in the series against South Africa. Jadeja is also putting his best efforts in his quest to return to the ODI team as he continues to score runs and get wickets in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy.

With the bat, he has racked up 143 runs in just 2 innings including a magnificent 134 against Madhya Pradesh, whereas he has claimed 4 wickets with his bowling. This puts him in contention for the allrounder’s spot in the Indian ODI team.

#5 Axar Patel

Axar has been very impressive in the Vijay Hazare Trophy thus far

India’s left-arm spin bowling ODI allrounder Axar Patel is giving his competitor Ravindra Jadeja a tough fight in the battle for the spin allrounder spot in Team India. And he is presently using the Vijay Hazare Trophy as a platform to showcase his all-round skills with 134 runs and 5 wickets in the 3 games that he has played for Gujarat.

A few more good performances in the upcoming matches of the tournament should put him in a good position to retain his ODI spot.

#6 Suresh Raina

Raina has been in poor form in the tournament so far

While Suresh Raina has been able to retain his position in the Indian ODI team despite displaying some poor form in the recent past, it may be time for him to pull up his socks before it is too late. The ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy presents Raina with the perfect opportunity to get some form going; however, so far he has had a torrid time with scores of 7 and 1 in his two innings.

Although he still has time to prove himself in the upcoming matches, it may be a cause of concern for Suresh Raina if he is unable to do so.

#7 Bhuvneshwar Kumar

Bhuvneshwar Kumar has had a decent run so far in the Vijay Hazare Trophy

Team India’s ODI pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar did not have the best of times during the one-day series against South Africa. However, he is looking to redeem himself by getting a few wickets under his kitty at the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy.

In the 2 games where he has bowled, Bhuvneshwar has picked up 3 wickets with a spell of 2 for 22 being his best. With matches still remaining, we will hope that the swing bowler is able to get his mojo back and keep his place in the national team.

#8 Murali Vijay

Murali Vijay is looking to return to the ODI scheme of things

Indian Test opener Murali Vijay’s played his last ODI as part of a second string side which toured Zimbabwe earlier this year. However, the Tamil Nadu batsman is certainly attempting to make his case for reclaiming his spot in the ODI XI in the Vijay Hazare Trophy.

Vijay has scored 115 runs in 3 matches thus far with a top score of 55 and should be able to improve on his tally in the matches to come. His good technique makes him a strong contender for playing an ODI series in Australian conditions.

#9 Varun Aaron

Aaron has performed decently in the tournament so far

Varun Aaron may be getting on-and-off chances of representing Team India in both white and blue, but he continues to be a part of the squad. Aaron is playing for Jharkhand in the Vijay Hazare Trophy and has taken 4 wickets in the matches that he has featured in with best figures of 2 for 21.

The tearaway fast bowler must try to take advantage of the remaining games to put himself in good light prior to the upcoming ODI tour to Australia.

#10 Ex Players

Gambhir and Yuvraj are pushing on to make it back to Team India

There are also a number of ex Team India players who are trying to make a case for a return to the national team by playing in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. One of them is Punjab southpaw Yuvraj Singh, who has been in prolific form in the 3 matches he has played scoring 165 runs with a top score of 93. Another batsman who is pushing hard to make a comeback is Delhi’s Gautam Gambhir who has scored 84 in 2 innings with a highest score of 67.

Although chances of players like them making it to Team India look grim at the moment, consistently good performances in this tournament may help them enforce a change in opinion.