Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024/25 preview: A struggling format wages on campaign for relevance
The HinduA format struggling to remain in vogue and a window in the domestic season that does little to spike interest in player performance — the Vijay Hazare Trophy, beginning on December 21, nestled between the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and the second leg of the Ranji Trophy, continues its yearly fight for relevance. Last year, the competition was held between November 23 and December 16, allowing teams from the Indian Premier League to scout domestic talents extensively ahead of the mini-auction in Dubai on December 19. Yet, the senior domestic 50-over tournament is possibly one last stage for those on the fringes of the national setup to stake a claim for a national team berth ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy set to begin in a few months. Mumbai, led by Shreyas Iyer, will be eyeing another trophy after winning the Ranji Trophy, Irani Trophy and the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy this calendar year.