Punjab have announced a formidable 18-member squad for the upcoming Vijay Hazare Trophy, with Shubman Gill emerging as the central figure following his omission from India’s recent World Cup plans. The northern state side will begin their campaign on 24 December, taking on Maharashtra in what promises to be an intriguing opening fixture. With a blend of established internationals and exciting domestic performers, Punjab are widely viewed as one of the stronger contenders in this season’s competition.
Gill’s inclusion has naturally drawn the most attention. Recently left out of India’s T20 World Cup setup and subsequent T20 assignments, the elegant top-order batter will be keen to use the Vijay Hazare Trophy as a platform to reaffirm his credentials in the 50-over format. His presence adds both quality and leadership to a squad that appears well balanced across departments.
Alongside Gill, Punjab boast several high-profile names. Abhishek Sharma, known for his explosive batting and useful left-arm spin, and pace spearhead Arshdeep Singh provide international experience and match-winning potential. The batting unit is further strengthened by a group of proven power-hitters and versatile all-rounders, including Prabhsimran Singh, Naman Dhir, Anmolpreet Singh, Ramandeep Singh and Sanvir Singh. Harpreet Brar’s all-round skills add depth and flexibility, particularly in spin-friendly conditions.
Punjab’s bowling attack will be led by Arshdeep Singh, who was the team’s leading wicket-taker in the 2024–25 domestic season. He will be supported by Gurnoor Brar and Krishn Bhagat, both of whom are expected to play key roles with the ball. However, there remains some uncertainty over how many matches Gill, Abhishek Sharma and Arshdeep Singh will be available for, owing to India’s international commitments in January.
India are scheduled to face New Zealand in a three-match One Day International series beginning on 11 January, followed by a five-match T20 series starting on 21 January. Notably, Gill is set to captain India in the ODI series, underlining the selectors’ continued faith in his leadership in the longer white-ball format.
Punjab, who exited at the quarter-final stage last season, will be eager to go further this time. All seven of their league matches will be played in Jaipur, offering some stability in terms of conditions. Their group features Chhattisgarh, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Goa and traditional heavyweights Mumbai, making consistency crucial. The league phase will conclude on 8 January.
Punjab Squad for Vijay Hazare Trophy :
| Category | Players |
| Batters | Shubman Gill, Abhishek Sharma, Anmolpreet Singh, Naman Dhir, Harnoor Pannu, Uday Saharan |
| All-rounders | Ramandeep Singh, Sanvir Singh, Harpreet Brar, Jashanpreet Singh |
| Wicketkeepers | Prabhsimran Singh, Salil Arora |
| Bowlers | Arshdeep Singh, Gurnoor Brar, Krishn Bhagat, Raghu Sharma, Gaurav Chaudhary, Sukhdeep Bajwa |