Punjab is gearing up for an explosive Vijay Hazare Trophy assault, unveiling a star-packed squad featuring Indian ODI captain Shubman Gill, T20I sensation Abhishek Sharma, and lethal pacer Arshdeep Singh,
all compelled by BCCI's ironclad rule demanding elite players reinforce the domestic 50-over circuit.
Gill, rebounding from his T20 World Cup snub, anchors the top order alongside Abhishek, the world's top-ranked T20I batter who's primed for a prolonged domestic rampage.
Arshdeep, India's white-ball pace maestro, adds venom, though their availability is fleeting with the New Zealand ODI series looming from January 11-expect fireworks in Punjab's opener blitz before they jet off.
It came as a surprise to many when Gill was left out of the T20 World Cup 2026 team, but the star batter will have an opportunity to sharpen his skills for the ODI series against New Zealand.
Group C heats up fast as Punjab storms Maharashtra on December 24 and Chhattisgarh on December 26, perfect stages for the trio to dazzle early. The blockbuster peaks January 8 in Jaipur against Mumbai juggernauts, where Gill and Rohit Sharma's likely absence amps the intrigue without dulling the edge-pure cricket carnage awaits.
BCCI's mandate underscores a fierce push to revive red-ball roots amid T20 frenzy, blending international flair with state grit to unearth gems and sharpen skills. For Punjab, it's a golden shot at glory, fusing youth dynamite like Uday Saharan and Harnoor Pannu with battle-tested allrounders, all hungry to conquer.
Punjab Vijay Hazare Trophy Squad
Shubman Gill, Abhishek Sharma, Arshdeep Singh, Prabhsimran Singh (wk), Harnoor Pannu, Anmolpreet Singh, Uday Saharan, Naman Dhir, Salil Arora (wk), Sanvir Singh, Ramandeep Singh, Jashanpreet Singh, Gurnoor Brar, Harpreet Brar, Raghu Sharma, Krish Bhagat, Gourav Choudhary, Sukhdeep Bajwa.
