NEW DELHI: The 2023-24 Vijay Hazare Trophy is set to kick off on Thursday, featuring a clash between defending champions Saurashtra and Kerala at the KSCA Cricket Ground in Alur.
All eyes will be on Test batter Cheteshwar Pujara and Saurashtra's skipper Jaydev Unadkat, who was the team's highest wicket-taker in the previous season.
Samarth Vyas, Saurashtra's highest run-scorer last season, and wicketkeeper-batter Harvik Desai, the team's second-highest run-getter in the 2022-23 campaign, will also be closely monitored.
In another match, last season's runners-up Maharashtra will begin their campaign against Jharkhand in Jaipur. With captain Ruturaj Gaikwad on national duty for the upcoming T20Is against Australia, the team is likely to be led by T20 captain Kedar Jadhav.
Maharashtra will look to key bowlers Rajvardhan Hangargekar and Satyajeet Bachhav, who made significant contributions in the previous season.
Players to watch out for in the tournament include Tamil Nadu's Narayan Jagadeesan, the top run-scorer with an average of 138.33 in the previous season, and B Sai Sudharsan.
Assam's Riyan Parag, who impressed in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, emerging as the highest run-getter, is expected to continue his good form in the Vijay Hazare Trophy.
The group-stage encounters will take place between November 23 and December 5, which will be followed by preliminary quarterfinals (December 9), quarterfinals (December 11), semifinals (December 13-14) and the final on December 16.
(With PTI inputs)
