The Vijay Hazare Trophy - The History, Winners, Teams, Format

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has excelled exceptionally in creating a system of domestic cricket tournaments that helps young and hidden talent come up and express themselves on the biggest stage. The Indian Premier League (IPL) is a global T20 league and the biggest in the country. It gives the Indian talent a chance to be exposed to the high octane intensity in international games. But there are some tournaments organised only for the domestic players. The Ranji Trophy is the highest class of first class cricket in India. The Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy is the biggest T20 tournament after IPL in India. And for the One Day or the List A format, the Vijay Hazare Trophy is the most important competition. 

In this article by ZAP, let’s know more about the Vijay Hazare Trophy, the history, who is it named after, the format, the team and the past winners.

What is the Vijay Hazare Trophy?

Just like Ranji Trophy and the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, Vijay Hazare Trophy is also a domestic tournament organised annually by the BCCI. All the teams that participate in Ranji Trophy participate in this tournament as well. Because of this tournament, white ball cricketers from respective states get a platform to showcase their abilities. It helps in segregating the best amongst the best. The players who perform well in these matches get a call for further selection in Zonal Cricket Association, National Cricket Academy (NCA), IPL, India A etc. Hence, it is a stepping stone in their journey to represent the county.

Also Read: County Cricket Championship | First Class Cricket

Who is the Vijay Hazare Trophy named after?

The Vijay Hazare Trophy was earlier called the Ranji One Day Trophy and it was played at the zonal level instead of the state level. The first edition of this tournament was played in 1993-94 and since then it has played a vital part in the BCCI domestic structure. This competition was renamed to the Vijay Hazare Trophy in 2007, named after an esteemed cricketer, Vijay Samuel Hazare. He captained India in 14 matches between 1951 and 1953, leading India to its first test win in 1951 against England at Madras. He scored 2192 runs in 30 games, at an astonishing batting average of 47.65. 

Vijay Hazare Trophy Tournament Format:

The Vijay Hazare Trophy is a 50 over tournament that follows a round-robin format in the group stage, leading to knockout rounds. The tournament is divided into several groups, and the top two teams from each group go against each other in the knockout stages. In total, 38 teams participate, reflecting the broad representation of Indian domestic cricket.

Vijay Hazare Trophy Teams and Past Winners:

The Teams:

The Past Winners:

• Tamil Nadu is the most successful team as of 2023. They have won the title 5 times. 
• Haryana are the current champions, as they lifted the trophy in 2023-24 season. 
• The most successful team in zonal phase was Bombay, winning the title 8 times

Also Read: Cricket Stadiums in India

Vijay Hazare Trophy Records:

Most Matches Played:

Manish Pandey - 103 matches

Most Runs Scored:

Ankit Bawane - 3635 Runs

Most Wickets:

Siddharth Kaul - 155 wickets

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