10 Indian stars who are featuring in the Vijay Hazare Trophy

10 Indian stars who are featuring in the Vijay Hazare Trophy: The World T20 is just a few months away and the fact that India lost 2 of their last 3 ODI series they played, and the selectors would hope to get the combinations right before the mega event. India is to tour Australia in January 2016 and until then most of the players are available for selection in the national 50-over tourney, the Vijay Hazare Trophy. It will be an opportunity for both current players and players who are on the fringe to leave a mark and make a case for themselves to be picked for the national side. The big names like MS Dhoni, Ishant Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, R Ashwin among others have decided to play the tournament. Here are the 10 Indian stars who are featuring in the Vijay Hazare Trophy: 1. Mohammed Shami (Bengal): Mohammed Shami. (© Getty Images) The tourney will also be a road to regain match fitness for Mohammed Shami, who has been India’s best pace bowler in ODIs ever since his debut a couple of years back. Shami has had a very successful ODI career taking 87 wickets in 47 games but was sidelined due to an injury he picked up during the World Cup. He will be raring to go as this will be his first game since the semi-final against Australia. Also Read – Indian cricketers and their salaries 2. Shikhar Dhawan (Delhi): Shikhar Dhawan. (Photo Source: AFP) Shikhar Dhawan, who had an erratic series with the bat during the South Africa series across formats, would like to make the most of this opportunity and get some runs under his belt before they fly for the series to Australia. He needs those runs to ensure him a place in the squad since there is a lot of chatter to drop him. A lot of youngsters like ShreyasIyer, Manish Pandey, Mayank Agarwal, are waiting in the wings to grab an opportunity and a failure here might get him to relinquish his opener’s spot in the LOI set up at least. 3. Suresh Raina (Uttar Pradesh): Suresh Raina. (© Getty Images) Raina has had a very hot and cold year and will like to get back to run making ways after a poor form ever since the World Cup. His role as the finisher has come under a lot of scrutiny and this will be a good chance for him to come into his own. 4. Ravindra Jadeja (Saurashtra): Ravindra Jadeja. (© IDI via Getty Images) With the top and middle order under the scanner, the selectors also have a new headache in the form of the all-rounder. The selectors can’t look past Jadeja’s stellar show with the ball in both Ranji and Tests. Axar too in the absence of star bowler Ravichandran Ashwin didn’t do too bad for himself and Stuart Binny just got the rough end of the stick in the recent series and would like to stake his claim for the much fought for all-rounder’s spot. 5. Ishant Sharma (Delhi): Ishant Sharma. (Photo Source: Getty Images) In the absence of Mohammed Shami, Indian fast bowling has been very pedestrian in their approach. It lacked teeth in the South Africa series with hardly anyone looking threatening to take a wicket. This provides an opportunity to Ishant Sharma who last played a Limited Overs International game for India right before the World Cup and an injury ended his World Cup dream. He is India’s premier Test bowler and would like to be once again in the thick of things in ODIs. 6. Varun Aaron (Jharkhand): Varun Aaron. (© Getty Images) Varun Aaron, who has been touted as one of India’s fastest bowlers will be looking to set the record straight and get his erstwhile erratic line and length under control. He will also be leading Jharkhand and MS Dhoni after a very long time will be playing in a team where he isn’t the captain. 7. Gautam Gambhir (Delhi): Gautam Gambhir. (© Getty Images) Other stars that people would look out for will be the India discard Gautam Gambhir. He will look to prove a point and get his team to victory. The Ranji season has been a mixed bag for him and he will look to get under the groove. 8. Irfan Pathan (Baroda): Irfan Pathan Irfan Pathan too will be trying to make a comeback into the team as India is forever looking for a pace/swing bowling all-rounder and the fact that he and Stuart Binny are the same age will make a good contest. 9. Yuvraj Singh (Punjab): Yuvraj Singh. (© Getty Images) The Player of the Series of the World Cup 2011, Yuvraj Singh will look to present his case for the upcoming World T20 that will take place next year. He has been in good touch and this may well be the perfect platform for him to attract the eyes of the selectors. 10. Harbhajan Singh (Punjab): Harbhajan Singh. (Photo Source: Associated Press) He has been among wickets lately. Harbhajan is very much in the reckoning and he will look to continue the momentum. Having represented India in the ODI series against South Africa, “Bhajji” will be game for much more. All in all, the Vijay Hazare Trophy would be a very exciting contest this season. A lot will be at stake for a lot of these players and with these big names playing with a mission in mind, one can expect to witness some of the best games, a win-win situation for the BCCI and the spectators. Also Read – 9 Most unexpected records in cricket