Mumbai, Dec 17: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has made it compulsory for all current national team players to feature in at least two matches of the upcoming Vijay Hazare Trophy, which begins on December 24. The move comes during a three-week gap between India’s final T20I against South Africa on December 19 and the first ODI against New Zealand on January 11, 2026, with the board keen on keeping its senior players engaged in competitive domestic cricket.The directive has been conveyed by the Ajit Agarkar–led national selection committee and follows a detailed review conducted after India’s disappointing Test series in Australia earlier this year. The review strongly recommended greater involvement of international players in domestic tournaments across formats. Senior cricketers including Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have already confirmed their availability, while Shubman Gill, Jasprit Bumrah, KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya and Suryakumar Yadav have also been instructed to play at least two matches for their respective state teams. Shreyas Iyer is the only notable exception due to his ongoing recovery from injury.
A senior BCCI official said there are six rounds of Vijay Hazare Trophy matches scheduled before the New Zealand ODI series, allowing players and state associations to decide which two games they will participate in. However, the official made it clear that participation is no longer optional, with exemptions granted only if a player is declared unfit by the Centre of Excellence.
The decision is also aimed at reinforcing the message that the same rules apply to all players, countering any perception that the board or head coach Gautam Gambhir is singling out senior stars. By making domestic participation mandatory across the board, the BCCI hopes to strengthen the domestic system while ensuring its top players remain match-ready and connected to the grassroots structure.