Odisha has announced a refreshed and competitive squad for the upcoming Vijay Hazare Trophy Cricket Tournament, with seven players set to make their debut in the senior men’s team. The premier domestic 50 over tournament will be held in Bengaluru from December 24, 2025, to January 18, 2026, where Odisha will aim to make a strong impact against some of the best teams in the country.

The 16 member Odisha squad was officially announced on Monday by Sourajit Mohapatra, Chairperson of the Odisha Senior Men’s Selection Committee. All rounder Biplab Samantaray has been entrusted with the captaincy, while pace bowler Rajesh Mohanty has been named vice captain for the first three matches of the tournament.

A major highlight of the squad announcement is the inclusion of seven new faces, reflecting the selectors’ intent to blend youth with experience. The debutants in the Odisha senior team are Om T Munde, Dinesh Kumar Majhi, Sambit Baral, Soumya Ranjan Lenka, Anil Parida, Badal Biswal, and Sayed Tufayl Ahamad. Their selection signals a forward looking approach as Odisha looks to strengthen its bench and build a competitive unit for the future.

Odisha has been placed in Elite Group D, one of the most competitive groups of the tournament. The group features strong teams such as Saurashtra, Services, Andhra, Delhi, Haryana, Gujarat, and Railways, making the league stage a challenging test for the team. According to the tournament format, the top two teams from each of the four elite groups will qualify directly for the quarterfinals of India’s premier domestic one day competition.

The Odisha Senior Men’s Team for the Vijay Hazare Trophy includes Shantanu Mishra, Swastik Samal, Om T Munde, Dinesh Kumar Majhi as wicketkeeper, Aashirwad Swain as wicketkeeper, captain Biplab Samantaray, Prayash Kumar Singh, Sambit Baral, Rajesh Mohanty, Debabrata Pradha, Soumya Ranjan Lenka, Anil Parida, Sandeep Pattanaik, Badal Biswal, Govinda Poddar, and Sayed Tufayl Ahamad.

The stand by players named for the tournament are Subham Satrujit, Rajesh Dhupar, Pradeep Pradhan, Sambit Beja, Kartik Biswal, Prasanta Rana, Tarani Sa, and Sumit Sharma, who will be available as reserves if required during the course of the competition.

With a mix of seasoned campaigners and promising newcomers, Odisha will be looking to put up strong performances in Bengaluru and secure a place in the knockout stages. The leadership of Biplab Samantaray, supported by Rajesh Mohanty, along with the infusion of fresh talent, is expected to play a key role in Odisha’s campaign in the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025–26 season.