Round 5 matches of the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025/26 will get underway on January 3, marking the first set of the 50-over domestic games to be taking place in the new year. This round will not see stalwarts like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in action but will have stars like Shubman Gill, Arshdeep Singh and Rishabh Pant in action apart from other marquee players. The round also marks the penultimate one before the Team India regulars head into the IND vs NZ ODI series. Incidentally, the round will also be held on the same day when the squad for the the upcoming series against the Kiwis will be announced.
Kishan vs Pant vs Jurel
Jharkhand’s Kishan has been in phenomenal form off late and his performances have earned him a spot in the squad for the T20 World Cup. Riding on the back of a brilliant form in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, the southpaw scored a 125-run knock in the only VHT 2025/26 game that he featured in, thereby throwing his hat in the ring for a spot in the ODI squad as well in the series against NZ, which could give him more game time before the T20Is that follow.
However, Kishan faces a stiff competition from Dhruv Jurel, who has been a force to reckon with in List A cricket off late. In the four domestic 50-over games that he was a last part of, the UP keeper-batter has registered scores of 80, 67, 160* and 17. His consistent performances puts him hi in line to be considered as the second-choice keeper-batter for India in the IND vs NZ ODIs, right after KL Rahul.
Meanwhile, there is also a Rishabh Pant in fray who has severely underperformed so far in the 50-over format. He made his return to the ODI side in the IND vs SA series, only to warm the bench throughout. In VHT 2025/26, he has managed to score just one half-century in four innings, while registering scores of 5, 70, 22 and 24. Reports state that he is likely to be dropped from the squad for the New Zealand series and it would be justified if done so, until and unless he steps up with an impressive performance in round 5.
Gaikwad to get another chance?
Shreyas Iyer, who is India’s number 4 in ODIs, is yet to obtain a fitness clearance from the BCCI. This means, Ruturaj Gaikwad could very well get another chance after impressing in the series against SA. This could very well be the last chance saloon for Gaikwad to cement his place in the ODI side. After all, he was a part of the SA series simply because Gill was absent. The VHT round 5 match could very well determine if Gaikwad finds a spot in the side. Of course, it depends on whether the squad is announced before the conclusion of round 5 of VHT.
Will Padikkal find a spot?
With a huge List-A batting average of 82.56, Devdutt Padikkal has certainly made himself an exciting option in the ODI setup. His contributions have been hard to ignore, with Padikkal scoring 406 at a heroic average of 101.50 and at a SR of over 106. With Shreyas Iyer not available, he is certainly a sensible pick. While Gaikwad might be considered in the first XI, Padikkal should be a must.
Shami to return?
With Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya set to be rested for the IND vs NZ ODI series, reports have suggested that Mohammed Shami could return to the squad for the first time in a year. If one should go by logic, then the stars who would be a part of the T20 World Cup 2026 would also be rested. Shami, who has been featuring in domestic tournaments consistently over the last two months, stands a chance to impress with his performance on Saturday and seal a spot in the ODI side.
VHT 2025/26 schedule for January 3
| Group | Match | Venue | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Group C | Chhattisgarh vs Himachal Pradesh | Jaipur, Anantam Ground | Jan 03, 9:00 AM (Local) |
| Group C | Goa vs Uttarakhand | Jaipur, KL Saini Ground | Jan 03, 9:00 AM (Local) |
| Group C | Maharashtra vs Mumbai | Jaipur, Sawai Mansingh Stadium | Jan 03, 9:00 AM (Local) |
| Group D | Railways vs Saurashtra | Alur, KSCA Cricket Ground | Jan 03, 9:00 AM (Local) |
| Group D | Andhra vs Gujarat | Alur, KSCA Cricket (3) Ground | Jan 03, 9:00 AM (Local) |
| Group D | Haryana vs Odisha | Alur, KSCA Cricket (2) Ground | Jan 03, 9:00 AM (Local) |
| Group D | Delhi vs Services | Bengaluru, BCCI Centre of Excellence Ground 2 | Jan 03, 9:00 AM (Local) |
| Group C | Punjab vs Sikkim | Jaipur, Jaipuria Vidyalaya Ground | Jan 03, 9:00 AM (Local) |
| Group B | Assam vs Bengal | Rajkot, Sanosara Cricket Ground B | Jan 03, 9:00 AM (Local) |
| Group A | Rajasthan vs Tamil Nadu | Ahmedabad, Narendra Modi Stadium B Ground | Jan 03, 9:00 AM (Local) |
| Group A | Jharkhand vs Kerala | Ahmedabad, ADSA Railways Cricket Ground | Jan 03, 9:00 AM (Local) |
| Group A | Madhya Pradesh vs Puducherry | Ahmedabad, Gujarat College Ground | Jan 03, 9:00 AM (Local) |
| Group A | Karnataka vs Tripura | Ahmedabad, Narendra Modi Stadium | Jan 03, 9:00 AM (Local) |
| Group B | Jammu and Kashmir vs Uttar Pradesh | Rajkot, Niranjan Shah Stadium C | Jan 03, 9:00 AM (Local) |
| Group B | Baroda vs Vidarbha | Rajkot, Niranjan Shah Stadium, Khandheri | Jan 03, 9:00 AM (Local) |
| Group B | Chandigarh vs Hyderabad | Rajkot, Sanosara Cricket Ground A | Jan 03, 9:00 AM (Local) |
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