The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has made it mandatory for all current national team players to feature in at least two matches of the upcoming Vijay Hazare Trophy, which begins on December 24.
With a three-week gap between India’s final T20I against South Africa on December 19 and the opening ODI against New Zealand on January 11, 2026, the board wants senior players to remain match-ready through domestic cricket.
Decision conveyed by selection panel
The directive has been communicated to players by the Ajit Agarkar-led national selection committee. The move follows an internal review conducted after India’s poor showing in Australia earlier this year, which stressed the need for stronger domestic involvement across formats.
Senior players included in directive
Veterans Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have already confirmed their availability for the tournament. Other senior players, including Shubman Gill, Jasprit Bumrah, K.L. Rahul, Hardik Pandya and Suryakumar Yadav, have also been instructed to play a minimum of two one-day matches for their respective state teams.
Shreyas Iyer is the only exception at present, as he continues his recovery from injury. All other centrally contracted players are expected to turn out, subject to fitness clearance.
No flexibility except fitness concerns
“There are six rounds of Vijay Hazare Trophy matches scheduled before the New Zealand ODIs. Players and state associations can choose which two rounds to participate in, but playing the tournament is not optional,” a senior board official said.
Exemptions will be granted only if a player is declared unfit by the Centre of Excellence, though officials believe the recovery window after the South Africa series is adequate.
Same rule for everyone
The decision also aims to dispel the perception that the board is singling out only senior players. By making participation compulsory for all, the BCCI has underlined that the same standards apply across the squad, regardless of stature or experience.
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