Vijay Merchant Trophy

The Vijay Merchant Trophy has evolved significantly since its inception in 1972-1973, shaping the future of Indian cricket at the grassroots level. Initially designed as a platform for under-16 cricketers, the tournament quickly gained importance, becoming a crucial part of the BCCI's strategy to identify and nurture young talent. Over the years, the tournament has seen several key changes, including the introduction of zonal formats and the eventual split into Elite and Plate groups to ensure more competitive matches and broader participation from various regions. This format allowed players from less prominent cricketing states to showcase their talent, contributing to the tournament’s reputation as a breeding ground for future stars.

Culturally, the Vijay Merchant Trophy has reflected the growing popularity of cricket in India, with increased media attention and the gradual introduction of TV broadcasts making the matches more accessible to fans nationwide. The financial backing of sponsors has also grown, with brands recognizing the value of associating with youth cricket. Legally, while the tournament itself has always operated under the BCCI’s regulations, the rise of betting on such youth events has led to increased scrutiny and calls for clearer legal frameworks. Socially, the tournament has remained predominantly male, but there is a growing conversation around creating similar platforms for young female cricketers, highlighting the broader push towards gender equality in Indian sports.

Past Vijay Merchant Trophy Editions

• 2025-2026 Season

  The Vijay Merchant Trophy 2025-2026 ran from December 07, 2025 to January 28, 2026, featuring the updated Elite and Plate structure that split teams into five Elite groups and one Plate pool. The season concluded with a hard‑fought Elite final at Niranjan Shah Stadium in Rajkot, where Mumbai claimed the title on a first‑innings lead after a drawn match against Maharashtra, reinforcing their reputation as one of the strongest Under-16 units in the country. In the Plate division, J & K emerged champions, capping a consistent campaign that highlighted the growing competitiveness of developing cricket regions. The tournament maintained its three‑day match format with first‑innings lead rules shaping several key results, a factor that also influenced Vijay Merchant Trophy betting trends in India. Overall, the 2025-2026 edition stood out for its balanced format, strong performances across both tiers, and the continued rise of new talent within India’s junior cricket system.

• 2024-2025 Season

  After an exciting final in Bhubaneswar on January 5, 2025, Bihar won the Plate Group title in the 2024-2025 Vijay Merchant Trophy. They beat Tripura by 133 runs. Punjab beat Uttar Pradesh easily in the Elite Group final, showing how deep and smart they are as a team. Anvay Dravid's perfect century for Karnataka was one of the most impressive performances. It got a lot of attention from the media because of his family history. A spin bowler from Meghalaya did something very rare: he took all 10 wickets in a game. This went viral and showed how unpredictable the event is, which is a big draw for betting on the Vijay Merchant Trophy India. One of the most memorable stories was the heated match between Karnataka and Delhi, where young stars Aryavir and Anvay Dravid fought, solidifying the event's reputation for dramatic stories.

  The Vijay Merchant Trophy had 32 teams last season, split into Elite and Plate Groups. The Elite Group had four sub-groups of six teams each, and the Plate Group had eight teams. The games lasted three days, and a lead in the first innings decided who got points in games that were tied. In the Elite Group, there was a round-robin system within sub-groups, followed by knockout rounds. In the Plate Group, there was a similar system with progress at stake. Rules that changed because of rain, like changing the number of overs because of bad weather, played a big part in some games and affected the results of bets. Adding DRS to some knockout games made them more tactically complex, which changed Vijay Merchant Trophy betting tips India as punters took into account how accurate the umpires were.

  The media paid a lot of attention to the 2024-2025 season. Sportstar and ESPN India had a lot of coverage, including live scores and player bios, which got fans more involved. Crowds in host towns like Shimoga and Ahmedabad made the atmosphere festive, and local sellers took advantage of the extra people who came to watch the games. Social media was used in marketing efforts. For example, the #VijayMerchantTrophy hashtag was popular on platforms like X thanks to fan-generated content and BCCI ads. The event raised money for community cricket by having sponsors pay for schools and player development. Along with the BCCI's goals for inclusivity, Bihar's Plate Group win led to talks about building up cricket facilities in areas that aren't usually associated with the sport. People became more interested in Vijay Merchant Trophy cricket betting in India because of how well the event went. It showed that it was a good way to find new players for the national team.

• Earlier Seasons

  The previous season of the Vijay Merchant Trophy 2023-2024 started from December 2023 to January 2024. Each team played their matches and out of them, only 4 teams qualified for the semi-finals. With exciting semifinal and final matches that featured outstanding performances and fierce competition, the Vijay Merchant Trophy 2023-2024 came to an exciting conclusion.

  The Vijay Merchant Trophy for the 2023-2024 season witnessed an exciting set of matches culminating in a dramatic final. The first semi-final took place on January 10, 2024, at Alur Cricket Stadium II in Bangalore, where Punjab faced Mumbai. Punjab, batting first, posted a total of 214 runs in 90.4 overs. In their second innings, they managed 184 runs in 50.5 overs. Mumbai responded strongly, scoring 327 runs in 162 overs in their first innings and 76/1 in 27.5 overs in their second innings, securing a comfortable victory by 9 wickets, thus qualifying for the final.

  Simultaneously, the second semi-final was held at Alur Cricket Stadium, Bangalore, between Gujarat and Jharkhand. Gujarat, batting first, scored 176 runs in 83.5 overs. Jharkhand, in their first innings, posted 206 runs in 90.4 overs. In their second innings, Gujarat managed to chase down the target with a score of 219/4 in 66 overs, ultimately winning the match by 6 wickets and advancing to the final.

  The final match of the Vijay Merchant Trophy took place on January 17, 2024, at Alur Cricket Stadium III in Bangalore, where Mumbai faced Gujarat. Mumbai batted first and amassed a formidable total of 376 runs in 161.1 overs. Gujarat, in their first innings, could only manage 145 runs in 45.4 overs and, following on scored 193 runs in 55.2 overs. Mumbai's dominant performance secured them an innings and 38 runs victory, crowning them the winners of the Vijay Merchant Trophy for the 2023-2024 season.