The 2025-26 season of the Vijay Hazare Trophy is set to be unlike any other. For the first time in years, the tournament will see the participation of Indian cricket royalty. With icons like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Rishabh Pant confirming their availability, the venues hosting these matches have become the center of attention.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has selected five specific cities to host the group stages to ensure logistical ease and top tier broadcast facilities. The tournament runs from December 24, 2025, with the grand finale scheduled for January 18, 2026.
Unlike the Ranji Trophy, which travels to every corner of the country, the Vijay Hazare Trophy follows a “Cluster Caravan” format. Each group plays all its matches in a single city. This page serves as your ultimate guide to the five cities and the multiple grounds within them that will host the 50 over spectacle.
List of Venues:
The 38 participating teams have been split into five groups (Elite A, B, C, D, and Plate), and each group has been assigned a specific host city.
| Group | Host City | Key Stadiums |
| Elite Group A | Ahmedabad | Narendra Modi Stadium, Gujarat College Ground |
| Elite Group B | Rajkot | Niranjan Shah Stadium, Sanosara Ground |
| Elite Group C | Jaipur | Sawai Mansingh Stadium, KL Saini Ground |
| Elite Group D | Bengaluru | M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, KSCA Alur |
| Plate Group | Ranchi | JSCA Intl Stadium, Usha Martin Ground |
| Knockouts | Bengaluru | BCCI Centre of Excellence (COE) |
Details:
Let us explore the conditions and characteristics of each host city.
1. Ahmedabad
Hosting: Elite Group A
Teams: Karnataka, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Pondicherry, Kerala, Tripura.
Ahmedabad is the modern capital of Indian cricket. The city boasts the world’s largest cricket stadium and several high quality club grounds.
- Narendra Modi Stadium (Main & Ground B): The crown jewel of the venues. The main stadium will host the marquee clashes. The pitch here is a mixture of red and black soil, offering good bounce and carry. Expect high scores if the batters get set.
- Gujarat College Ground: A traditional ground known for its intimate atmosphere. The surface here tends to be slightly slower than the main stadium, bringing spinners into play during the middle overs.
- Conditions: December in Ahmedabad is pleasant. The mornings might see a bit of nip in the air for the fast bowlers, but it generally flattens out into a batting beauty by noon.
2. Bengaluru
Hosting: Elite Group D & Knockouts
Teams: Haryana, Gujarat, Railways, Andhra, Saurashtra, Delhi, Odisha, Services.
Bengaluru is the place to be this season. Not only is it hosting Virat Kohli’s Delhi and Rishabh Pant, but it is also the venue for the Quarterfinals, Semifinals, and the Final.
- M. Chinnaswamy Stadium: Known as a bowler’s graveyard. The boundaries are short, the outfield is lightning fast, and the altitude makes the ball travel further. Fans can expect massive sixes and totals crossing 300 regularly.
- KSCA Cricket Grounds (Alur): Located on the outskirts of the city, the Alur facility has three international standard grounds (Oval 1, 2, and 3). These pitches are generally sporting, offering help to seamers in the first hour.
- BCCI Centre of Excellence (COE): The newly developed COE will host the high pressure knockout matches. This state of the art facility is designed to provide neutral and balanced pitches for the business end of the tournament.
3. Jaipur
Hosting: Elite Group C
Teams: Maharashtra, Punjab, Mumbai, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Goa, Chhattisgarh, Sikkim.
The Pink City will host the reigning T20 World Cup winning captain Rohit Sharma as he leads Mumbai in the initial matches.
- Sawai Mansingh Stadium (SMS): A historic venue with large boundaries. Unlike Bengaluru, six hitting is difficult here. The pitch traditionally supports seamers early on due to the open nature of the ground and the winter winds.
- KL Saini Ground: Located in the Mansarovar area, this ground is often used for domestic matches. It has a flat track that favors batters, but the open fields mean wind plays a huge factor in swing bowling.
- Jaipuria Vidyalaya Ground: A smaller venue that will host some of the non televised fixtures.
4. Rajkot
Hosting: Elite Group B
Teams: Vidarbha, Baroda, Bengal, Hyderabad, Uttar Pradesh, Assam, Chandigarh, J&K.
Rajkot is synonymous with runs. It is often referred to as a “Batting Paradise” in domestic circles.
- Niranjan Shah Stadium (formerly SCA Stadium): The pitch here is a flat highway. Bowlers have to work incredibly hard to get wickets. It is not uncommon to see teams chasing down 350+ scores here.
- Sanosara Cricket Grounds: These are newer grounds developed by the Saurashtra Cricket Association. While still batting friendly, they offer a bit more help to spinners as the day progresses compared to the main stadium.
5. Ranchi
Hosting: Plate Group
Teams: Nagaland, Bihar, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh.
The hometown of MS Dhoni will host the developing teams of the Plate Group.
- JSCA International Stadium: A massive venue with world class facilities. The pitch here is generally slow and low, which will test the technique of the batters from the North East teams.
- Usha Martin Ground: A scenic college ground that often hosts district matches. The conditions here will likely aid slow left arm spinners.
FAQs:
Where is Virat Kohli playing his matches?
Virat Kohli, representing Delhi, will play his group stage matches in Bengaluru. His matches are scheduled at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium and the KSCA Alur grounds.
Which city is hosting Rohit Sharma’s Mumbai team?
Rohit Sharma and the Mumbai team are placed in Elite Group C, which is based in Jaipur. You can catch him in action at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium.
When is the Vijay Hazare Trophy Final 2026?
The grand final is scheduled for January 18, 2026, and will be played at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru.