Though timing is a tad off, Vijay Hazare Trophy remains relevant

A home World Cup, the national team putting on a dazzling show and the entire nation glued to the action - it should be a shot in the arm for the 50 overs format in India, isn't it? 

- Sanjjeev K Samyal

The timing of the national one-day championship, Vijay Hazare Trophy, too couldn't have been better, starting within three days of the World Cup final. One would have expected the domestic cricketers to take to it with gusto.

While the tournament sure has got some boost this season, there is mixed reaction in terms of relevance. This is the T20 age, and thanks to IPL, it is where more career opportunities are.

Of course, those dreaming of playing international cricket in the 50-over format can show their stuff in Vijay Hazare. The national selectors will be looking for options as they look to rebuild the team for the 2027 World Cup.

Promising Tamil Nadu batter Sai Sudharsan belongs to the T20 generation as his performances for Gujarat Titans show, but says he enjoys playing the one-day format too. The 22-year-old lefthander has started brightly, scoring 125 against Goa in their opening game at Thane on Saturday. "Compared to T20, in 50 overs we have a lot of time, more than you think, to take the game deep. I like 50 overs a lot also, a mix of Test and T20 so I think it is a very interesting format to play," says Sudharsan.