Tomorrow marks the start of the quarter-final matches of the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy 2021-22. This is the second day of the knockout games and will begin on 21st December 2021. The host for the entire tournament is Jaipur and different matches will be hosted in Jaipur's different venues.

Read also: The Ashes: Two Media Persons Covering Ashes Test Positive For COVID-19

KL Saini Ground and Sawai Mansingh Stadium are the three stadiums to host the quarter-finals of the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2021-22. Tamil Nadu, Himachal Pradesh, Saurashtra, Kerela, Karnataka, Vidarbha, Uttar Pradesh, and Services are the teams to compete in the quarter-finals starting tomorrow. All the matches will start live at 9:00 AM IST.

Read also: Most not outs in test

Vijay Hazare 2021-22: Quarter-final schedule:

Chakdaha, a very tiny town in the Nadia district of West Bengal, is known to the cricketing world for a very special player. It is Jhulan Goswami, who made Chakdaha famous with fiery spells all around the globe, wearing the Blue jersey of India. 

When Jhulan was breaking records in women's cricket, another speedster from Chakdaha dreamt of breaking stumps and records too. Sayan Ghosh, known as Bengal's Malinga, saw ups and downs from the start of his cricketing career. But, like his swinging yorkers, Sayan never swayed away from his targets. 

Ghosh last played a Ranji Trophy game way back in 2017. In 6 first-class games, he has two five-wicket hauls. Still, he was never called back to the Ranji Trophy, team until this season. The reason is his incredible comeback into the white ball side for Bengal. 

Sayan Ghosh's incredible season in white-ball format

Sayan was always called the "White Ball" specialist due to his ability to hit yorkers and variations. However, with bowlers like Mukesh Kumar, Ishan Porel and Akash Deep doing well, he found himself out of the side in the last few seasons. But, his will to keep doing well at the club level, helped him make another comeback to the Bengal side. 

This season, Sayan Ghosh was the highest wicket-taker for Bengal in both Syed Mushtaq Ali and Vijay Hazare Trophy tournaments. In the Syed Mushtaq Ali tournament, he returned with 13 wickets from 7 games at an outstanding economy rate of 6.77.

Bengal wins the thriller against Chandigarh and marches forward to the semi finals of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2024.

Former KKR bowler Sayan Ghosh was the star of the show as he picked up 4 wickets and defended 11 runs of the final over that helped Bengal come out on top. pic.twitter.com/ZdOl4soLSt

— KKR ULTRAS (@KKRUltras) December 9, 2024

In the Vijay Hazare Trophy, the stats were even better as he capped off the season with 15 wickets from 7 games which included a five-wicket haul against Kerala. Post, his outstanding white-ball return, Sayan was included in the Ranji Trophy squad for the final two games of the season. 

Read Also | Bengal Ranji Team in Last Three Seasons: 13 opening combinations, 22 debutants and many more numbers

"Nothing as sweet as a comeback:" Sayan Ghosh

After his remarkable resurgence in domestic cricket, Sportz Point sat with the 32-year-old pacer to sense his thoughts. 

Talking about his return to the Bengal team, Sayan started the conversation by saying, "It is always a pleasure to represent Bengal. And there is nothing as sweet as a comeback when you are down and about to lose. Performing well for the team feels great."

Ex-KKR pacer Sayan Ghosh in action for @Mohun_Bagan

Does his action resemble anyone? #CricketTwitter pic.twitter.com/mPaLkt1Rr5

— Koushik Biswas (@kbofficial25) November 28, 2023

Impact of Bengal Pro T20 League

Sayan feels, along with doing well for Mohun Bagan in the club format, the Bengal Pro T20 League has helped him be in the best form possible. 

"I must say, performance in BPL gave me confidence," Sayan told Sportz Point.

"I didn’t take too much pressure for the whole season because I knew if I did well, I would play. I had belief in myself. Captain Sudip (Gharami), coaches Laxmi (Ratan Shukla) da and Maco (Shib Shankar Paul) da gave confidence. So, I didn’t take a lot of pressure."

 

 

 

 

 

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Focusing on the basics

A few seasons back, Sayan had a longer run-up which caused him a few injuries. But, post the 2022 season, he shortened his run-up to avoid such injuries which helped him gain more control. Keeping this in mind, Sportz Point wanted to know if he had done anything special to prepare for this grand comeback. 

However, as per Sayan, he just kept doing the basic things over and over to get better at everything. "I do lots of fitness work and spot bowling. It helps me a lot," Sayan added while answering the question. 

Read Also | Where Are They Now: Last Time Bengal Men's Cricket Team Won A Trophy

"Trust in GOD"

Regardless of how, for a sportsperson, a comeback is as much a mental challenge as it is a physical battle. Back in 2022, in an exclusive interview with Sportz Point, Sayan shared that "rejections do not deject him." 

But, saying that and actually having that mental strength are two different things altogether. For Sayan, it was all about being present and believing in God. 

"There comes a time in every sportsman's life when they stop worrying about the outcome, trust in God, and fully immerse themselves in the process. So, that was my thinking just to be in the present and wait for my turn," Sayan expressed. 

Read Also | Bengal Cricket: 7 U-19 cricketers from Bengal who can play for India in future

During tough periods like these, players always get some people clapping and cheering for them. For Sayan, along with his family, there were a few people, who guided and supported him throughout the process. 

"Maco da (Shib Shankar Paul) and Kanchan (Maity) da gave me chances in BPL And Laxmi (Ratan Shukla) da helped me and gave me a chance to come back in Bengal Cricket." 

"I must say about Akash da, one of my colleagues in my office, who is a very good bowler himself. He supported me in every aspect of my life. I think without his support, I could not have made the come back like that," Sayan stated.

Age? Not a problem

But, in this process of being in and out of the team, Sayan has reached an age where most cricketers start to reach the end of their careers. But, not all. 

Cricketers like Scott Boland have proved that, if you can keep putting in the hard work, even as a fast bowler you can debut and play at the highest level even after 30. Sayan believes that too. 

"Hope keeps us alive. I don’t think a lot about the outcome. But, when you have a goal to achieve something big in your professional career, you always stay motivated," the 32-year-old shared. 

"There is nothing as sweet as a comeback, when you are down and about to lose. If you are thinking about a comeback, you have to keep pushing the boundaries. I have small targets to do well in club cricket and give Mohunbagan trophies. I want to make a strong impact in Bengal Cricket in every format."

Read Also | Exclusive | "Felt like my debut:" Bengal pacer Ishan Porel now wants to enjoy his cricket after a solid comeback to first-class cricket

The love for "Red Cherry"

Now, after a great white-ball return, Sayan Ghosh wants to don the whites for Bengal again. Amidst all the success around white-ball cricket, his love for red-ball cricket remained the same; like a 10-year-old with a new ball in hand. 

"We are playing well in all formats, especially in the Ranji trophy. It was unfortunate for us not to qualify despite playing well in the group stages. The Bihar match and the Kerala match were gone because of the rain and that was the reason (we could not qualify). 

"The last time I played a Ranji Trophy game was in 2017. I have played 6 matches and got two five-wicket hauls. However, because of certain team combinations, I haven't played red-ball cricket in a long time now. 

"My belief is always there to make a strong comeback in red ball cricket."

Haryana is the latest entrant on the Vijay Hazare Trophy past winners list as they defeated Rajasthan in the 2023-24 season of the limited-overs domestic tournament of Indian cricket. 

Also Read: Most runs in Vijay Hazare Trophy history

Starting in the 2002-03 season, the Vijay Hazare Trophy, named after the legendary Indian cricketer, has been won by 11 different teams so far with Tamil Nadu winning it the most number of times (five).

Let's take a look at the Vijay Hazare Trophy past winners. 

Vijay Hazare Trophy | One of the most leading domestic tournament 

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.

Vijay Hazare Trophy, earlier called Ranji One Day Trophy

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 | 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 Past Winners

Tamil Nadu, most successful team of VHT

Tamil Nadu, the inaugural champions, have won five titles, the most in Vijay Hazare Trophy history. 

Karnataka and Mumbai are joint-second with four titles. Meanwhile, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu are the only teams to have lifted two trophies on the bounce.

The trophy was shared by Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh in the 2004-05 season.  

Bengal have finished runner-up five times, the most in the competition.

Bengal, Railways, Delhi, Jharkhand, Gujarat, and Himachal Pradesh have all won the title once each.

Vijay Hazare Trophy, India's premier List A cricket tournament, has provided a platform for players to make their mark in domestic cricket. 

The competition features a mix of seasoned professionals, IPL stars, and young talents aiming for to prove themselves.

Also Read: Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024-25: Knockout fixture and schedule

let's have a look at the top 10 batters with most runs in Vijay Hazare Trophy history.

Most runs in Vijay Hazare Trophy

1. Ankit Bawne | 3960 Runs

Maharashtra veteran batter Ankit Bawne scored the most runs in Vijay Hazare Trophy history. 

He scored 3960 runs in VHT in 88 innings of 93 matches at an average of 56.57 and a strike rate of 80.03.

Bawne also holds the record for the most century in VHT, registering 15 tons. He broke Ruturaj Gaikwad's record of 12 centuries.

His highest scored is 184*.

2. Dinesh Karthik | 3433 Runs

Senior wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik, who played for Tamil Nadu in domestic cricket, scored 3433 runs in 71 innings of 79 matches with 9 centuries and 19 half-centuries.

His highest score is 154*.

3. Manish Pandey | 3403 Runs

Manish Pandey, who led Karnataka in Vijay Hazare Trophy, scored 3403 runs in Vijay Hazare Trophy tournament in 99 innings of 103 matches. 

He scored runs at an average of 44.77 and a strike rate of 93.66. His highest score is 142*.

Pandey is the fourth batsman in the history of Vijay Hazare Trophy to score 20 plus half centuries (25).

4. Priyank Panchal | 3395 Runs

Gujarat opener Priyank Panchal scored 3395 runs in 83 matches at an average of 42.97 and a strike rate of 80.77.

The right-handed batter smashed 8 centuries and 20 half-centuries for Gujarat. 

Panchal is the first player to score a triple century for Gujarat. He was the leading run-scorer for Gujarat in the 2017–18 Ranji Trophy, with 542 runs in seven matches.

His highest score in VHT is 136.

5. Mayank Agarawal | 3304 Runs

Karnataka captain Mayank Agarwal scored 3304 runs in 69 innings of 70* matches. He scored at an average of 53.29 and a strike rate of 99.81.

He has 11 centuries and 16 half-centuries to his name. His highest score in VHT is 162. 

Mayank was once India's mainstay opener in Test cricket as he opened alongside Rohit Sharma. However, the emergence of Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal as well as a dip in his own firm worked against him.

He has over 5,300 runs in List A cricket.

6. Prashant Chopra | 3280 Runs

Himachal Pradesh batter Prashant Chopra scored 3280 runs in 80 innings of 81 matches at an average of 42.59 and a strike rate of 81.57.

Prashant smashed 6 centuries and 20 half-centuries for Himachal. His highest score in VHT is 159.

He was the leading run-scorer for Himachal Pradesh in the 2018–19 Vijay Hazare Trophy, with 329 runs in six matches.

Prashant was also bought by the Rajasthan Royals in the 2018 IPL auction.

7. Mandeep Singh | 3238 Runs

Punjab batter Mandeep Singh scored 3238 runs in 91 innings of 101 matches. He scored at an average of 39.01 and a strike rate of 77.93.

He hit 4 centuries and 23 half-centuries for Punjab with a highest score of 119. 

He was the highest run scorer in 2015 Vijay Hazare Trophy. Mandeep was also one of the most consistent run scorers in latest editions of Ranji Trophy.

8. Ganesh Satish | 3210 Runs 

Ganesh Satish, former Karnataka batsman, now representing Vidarbha, scored 3210 runs in Vijay Hazare Trophy. He scored in 93 innings of 98 matches at an average of 38.67 and a strike rate of 78.88.

He smashed 5 centuries and 21 half-centuries in VHT. His highest score is 140*.

Ganesh became the eighth batsman to aggregate 2000 plus runs in the history of Vijay Hazare Trophy.

9. Yashpal Singh | 3193 Runs 

The former Services middle-order batter, Yashpal Singh amassed 3193 runs in 69 innings of 72 matches at an impressive average of 60.24. 

Between 2008-2019, Yashpal represented Manipur, Tripura and Services before plying his trade for Sikkim in the latter half of his career.

He has 10 centuries and 21 half-centuries to his name with highest score of 134*. 

10. Saurabh Tiwary | 3190 Runs

Jharkhand batter Saurabh Tiwary scored 3190 runs in 85 innings of 89 matches at an average of 49.07 and a strike rate of 83.48.

He has 5 centuries and 20 half-centuries to his name with a highest score of 130*.

Tiwary was called into the squad for the 2010 Asia Cup, but did not play. He made his ODI debut against Australia in Visakhapatnam in October 2010 after a few first-choice players were rested.

The defending champions Haryana defeated Bengal in the preliminary quarter-final of the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024-25 at the Moti Bagh Stadium in Vadodara on Thursday. With this, Haryana entered the quarterfinal round. 

Also Read: Mohammed Shami may return to Indian squad for the forthcoming England series and Champions Trophy

Haryana did not get a good start

In the preliminary quarterfinal, Bengal won the toss and decided to bowl first. Haryana did not get a good start and Mukesh Kumar along with Mohammed Shami sent both the openers to the pavilion within 50.

Parth Shiv Vats (62) and Nishant Sindhu (64) took the team beyond 200. Sumit Kumar (41) and Rahul Tewatia (29) played important roles in taking Haryana closer to 300. Shami took 3 wickets while Mukesh Kumar took 2 wickets.

Shami bowled well

Shami ended with figures of 3/61 from his 10-over spell. The veteran seamer dismissed opener Himanshu Rana (14) before getting rid of Dinesh Bana (15) and Anshul Kamboj (4) at the death.

In 135 List A matches, Shami has raced to 257 wickets at 23-plus. 195 of his scalps in the 50-over format have come for India. Shami picked 5 wickets in Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024-25.

Haryana won by 72 runs

Chasing the target of 299 runs, Bengal had a good start and both the openers made a partnership of 70 runs for the first wicket. After this, as soon as both the openers were out, Haryana bowlers wreaked havoc and bundled out the entire Bengal team for 226 runs.

Haryana won the pre-quarterfinal match of the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024-25 by 72 runs. Parth Vats was chosen Player of the Match for taking 3 wickets and playing an important role in the team's victory. Apart from Parth, Nishant Sindhu and Anshul Kamboj took 2-2 wickets. 

Also Read: Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024-25: Knockout fixture and schedule

Second half-century for Parth Vats

20-year-old Parth Vats, who made his debut for Haryana in List A cricket with the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024-25, was superb versus Bengal. He hit six fours in his 77-ball knock. This was his 2nd fifty of the tournament. After 7 matches, he has amassed 234 runs at 39. His scores read as: 1, 27, 27, 52*, 18, 47, and 62.

Mohammed Shami, who is out of the Indian team since the ODI World Cup 2023 final, may return to the Indian squad for the forthcoming white-ball series against England and the Champions Trophy 2025.

Shami is playing domestic cricket. Along with the Ranji Trophy, he was also participating in the Vijay Hazare Trophy but when it came to international cricket, his fitness was coming under question again and again. But, now it seems that the wait for his return to Team India will end soon.

Also Read: Indian players to play Vijay Hazare Trophy Knockouts after returning from Australia tour

The Indian squad for England series and Champions Trophy is to be announced before January 12. Now whether Shami will get a place in the team or not, it will become clear from Shami's performance in the Vijay Hazare trophy.

NCA and BCCI's medical team are keeping an eye on Shami's fitness. If Shami looks in form in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, then he can be selected in the Champions Trophy, and can also play in the ODI series against England. Shami had slight swelling in his knee after the surgery, due to which he was ruled out of the recently concluded Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

Shami bowled well in knockout game

Currently, Mohammed Shami is part of the Vijay Hazare Trophy campaign and is playing for the Bengal team. He bowled well in the knockout match against Haryana as Shami took 3 wickets for 61 runs in 10 overs.

In the sixth over, Shami made his first breakthrough when he edged a sharp delivery to wicketkeeper Abhishek Porel, removing Himanshu Rana, Haryana's opener. Shami recovered well in the final overs, dismissing Dinesh Bana in the 42nd over and then taking out Anshul Kamboj, despite giving up runs at an economy rate of 6.67 in his opening stint.

Also Read: Champions Trophy 2025: ECB reject calls to boycott England vs Afghanistan match

Shami may return in England series

As per the latest reports,  Mohammed Shami is expected to make a comeback in the Indian team in the upcoming white-ball series against England. Both the teams will play 5 T20 and 3 ODI matches. The five T20 matches will be played on January 22, 25, 28, 31 and February 2 respectively. These matches will be played in Kolkata, Chennai, Rajkot, Pune, and Mumbai respectively.

Apart from this, three ODI matches will be played on 6, 9 and 12 February in Nagpur, Cuttack and Ahmedabad.