A very exciting edition of the Vijay Hazare Trophy came to an end with Tamil Nadu trouncing Bengal in the finals of the tournament. Tamil Nadu were arguably the most settled team in the tournament and thus it could well be said that they were the fitting winners on the day. Taking nothing away from Bengal, they just had a bad day at the office with the bat but surely had several moments to cherish this year.

The tournament, Vijay Hazare Trophy 2017, in itself was a marvel. After several exciting and thrilling matches competed among the top domestic sides in India, the 25 day carnival ended. During the course of the tournament, there were a lot of highlight moments. The team that bagged most of the headlines this year was Jharkhand. This can largely be accredited to the fact that they had the services of former Indian skipper MS Dhoni.

Another man who made the headlines was comeback pacer Mohammad Shami. Shami was excellent for Bengal on the day of the finals. All in all, there were many performers who lit up the tournament &#8211; some big names and some new heroes on the rise. Here we pick the Best XI of Vijay Hazare 2017 who were the top performers of the season:

<strong>1. Abhimanyu Easwaran &#8211; Bengal</strong>

<a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2015/11/Abhimanyu-Easwaran.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-42415" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2015/11/Abhimanyu-Easwaran.jpg" alt="Abhimanyu Easwaran" width="650" height="435" sizes="(max-width: 650px) 100vw, 650px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-42415" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo Source: CricFit)</figcaption>

Bengal opener Abhimanyu Easwaran has been the find of the season for his side. Easwaran had plundered runs at will in the Ranji Trophy this year. He continued his good run in the limited overs too and finished as the second leading run getter in the Vijay Hazare Trophy this year.

Easwaran amassed 472 runs in the 9 matches that he played with an average of 59. He had two centuries and as many number of fifties in this edition of the tournament. His rare failure came in the big finals against Tamil Nadu where he was dismissed for a single digit score. Needless to add, the team did miss his services.

<strong>2. Ruturaj Gaikwad &#8211; Maharashtra</strong>

<a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2017/03/Ruturaj-Gaikwad.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-123272" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2017/03/Ruturaj-Gaikwad.jpg" alt="Ruturaj Gaikwad" width="600" height="440" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-123272" class="wp-caption-text">Maharashtra&#8217;s Ruturaj Gaikwad. (Photo Source: BCCI)</figcaption>

The 20-year-old dynamic right-handed batsman from Maharashtra was playing in his first ever List A tournament this year. He scored a magnificent ton on his List A debut and smashed a quick 132 against Himachal Pradesh on the first day of the tournament. He continued his good run in the next match against Kerala where he hammered 79.

Later, he scored two more fifties against Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh to announce his arrival in style. In all, Ruturaj had 444 runs to his name in 7 matches with an average of 63.42. He batted with a strike rate of 92.88 and hit as many as 50 fours in the tournament &#8211; the second most by any player.

<strong>3. Dinesh Karthik &#8211; Tamil Nadu</strong>

<a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2016/08/Dinesh-Karthik-TNPL.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-81655" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2016/08/Dinesh-Karthik-TNPL.jpg" alt="Dinesh Karthik TNPL" width="600" height="406" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-81655" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo Source: TNPL)</figcaption>

The veteran India player came good for his domestic side Tamil Nadu this season. He was a class apart in batting this year. With 607 runs in the 9 matches that he played, DK looked like a man on a mission. His exploits will surely get him back on the selectors&#8217; radar.

He averaged close to 87 this season with 2 centuries and 4 fifties to his name. On the day of the finals when both teams struggled to get runs, Dinesh played a match winning 112 for his side. He hit 75 boundaries this year &#8211; the most by any player. His strike rate of 102.01 was highly impressive too.

<strong>4. Manoj Tiwary &#8211; Bengal </strong>

<a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2016/11/Manoj-Tiwary.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-96295" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2016/11/Manoj-Tiwary.jpg" alt="Manoj Tiwary Ranji Trophy 2016-17" width="600" height="419" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-96295" class="wp-caption-text">Manoj Tiwary. (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption>

Veteran Bengal cricketer Manoj Tiwary was under the scanner for his below par show in the Ranji Trophy this year and as well as in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy this season. He managed to silence all his critics with a powerpacked season in Vijay Hazare Trophy this year. With 378 runs this season in 9 matches, Tiwary ended as the fourth leading run-getter of the tournament.

He averaged 54 with the bat and had two fifties to his name to go with a ton. His top score of an unbeaten 116 came against Goa during the initial days of the tournament. In the semifinals against Jharkhand, his unbeaten 75 guided Bengal to the finals.

<strong>5. Saurabh Tiwary &#8211; Jharkhand</strong>

<a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2017/03/Saurabh-Tiwary-MI-IPL.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-120900" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2017/03/Saurabh-Tiwary-MI-IPL.jpg" alt="Saurabh Tiwary of the Mumbai Indians" width="600" height="438" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-120900" class="wp-caption-text">Saurabh Tiwary. (Photo by Anesh Debiky/Gallo Images/Getty Images)</figcaption>

Saurabh Tiwary was one of the 5 players this season who hit two centuries in the tournament. His experience combined with the guidance of MS Dhoni worked wonders for the middle order of the Jharkhand team this season. Earlier in the Ranji Trophy this year, he had been instrumental in taking the team to the semis. He did exactly the same in the limited overs contest as well.

In the 8 matches that he played, he aggregated 368 runs at an average of 52.57. He hit 20 sixes this year in the tournament &#8211; the most by any batsman. He had directed the run chase with an unbeaten 102 in the match against Services at Kalyani. Later, he smashed another 102 against Hyderabad in another league fixture.

<strong>6. MS Dhoni &#8211; Jharkhand</strong>

<a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2017/03/MS-Dhoni-2.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-122461" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2017/03/MS-Dhoni-2.jpg" alt="MS Dhoni" width="600" height="410" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-122461" class="wp-caption-text">MS Dhoni. (Photo Source: Sportstarlive)</figcaption>

Former Indian skipper MS Dhoni was arguably the heartbeat of the season this year. Fans flocked in huge numbers to the venues where Jharkhand played to see MS Dhoni in action. The hard hitting batsman did not disappoint either. He lit up the tournament with a whirlwind 129 that singlehandedly helped Jharkhand escape from deep waters against Chhattisgarh.

In the semi-finals, he was the lone ranger for his side with a gritty 70 as his team crashed out of the tournament. He looked absolutely gutted after the defeat. All in all, he could safely take the honors of being the captain of the tournament. In the 8 matches that he played, he piled up 330 uns at an average of 66 and a strike rate close to 99. He hit 15 maximums in the tournament.

<strong>7. Krunal Pandya &#8211; Baroda</strong>

<a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2016/05/Krunal-Pandya-1.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-67750" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2016/05/Krunal-Pandya-1.jpg" alt="Krunal Pandya IPL 9" width="600" height="412" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-67750" class="wp-caption-text">Krunal Pandya. (Photo Source: BCCI)</figcaption>

Krunal Pandya, the Baroda all-rounder, excelled with both bat and the ball this season. Pandya played 8 matches in the tournament and managed to scalp 11 wickets wih an economy of 4.82. He averaged 25 with the ball. However, it was his batting that earned him a lot of praises from all fronts, including the ones from senior team members Irfan Pathan and Yusuf Pathan.

Pandya ended up being the 7th leading run scorer of this edition of the tournament with 366 runs to his name in 8 innings. He averaged 45.75 with the bat and had an impressive strike rate close to 82. He had 3 fifties to boast about this season to go with a cumulative of 37 boundaries.

<strong>8. Abhijit Sarkar &#8211; Tripura</strong>

<a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2016/11/Gray-Nocolls.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-94131" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2016/11/Gray-Nocolls.jpg" alt="Bat maker Gray-Nicolls" width="600" height="382" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-94131" class="wp-caption-text">Bat maker Gray-Nicolls (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption>

Albeit Tripura had a quiet season this year, their right arm pacer Abhijit Sarkar impressed in the limited opportunities that he got. Sarkar played 6 matches in the tournament and scalped 16 wickets &#8211; the fourth highest of the season. He bowled with an impressive average of 14.81 &#8211; the third best among the top 10 leading wicket takers of the tournament.

He had economy of 4.3, which is very impressive for a pace bowler. His bowling figures of 6/31 against Himachal Pradesh remain to be the best bowling figures by any bowler in the 2017 edition of the Vijay Hazare Trophy. For a 20 year old playing his first List A tournament, the numbers are quite staggering.

<strong>9. Shardul Thakur &#8211; Mumbai</strong>

<a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2016/11/Shardul-Thakur.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-96087" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2016/11/Shardul-Thakur.jpg" alt="Shardul Thakur Ranji Trophy 2016-17" width="600" height="364" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-96087" class="wp-caption-text">Shardul Thakur. (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption>

Shardul Thakur, the Mumbai bowler, needs no introduction. The right arm quickie has been on the fringes of international debut for quite some time now. He continued to impress with the ball as he finished with 16 wickets this season to be the third leading wicket taker of the tournament.

His efforts came in the 6 matches that he played and averaged 14.75 with the ball &#8211; the second best after Chhattisgarh&#8217;s Pankaj Rao (13.20). He had a four wicket haul in the tournament and his best figures were of 4/47. His strike rate with the ball was 18.4 &#8211; the best among all the bowlers this season.

<strong>10. Aswin Crist &#8211; Tamil Nadu</strong>

<a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2017/03/Aswin-Crist.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-123242" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2017/03/Aswin-Crist.jpg" alt="Aswin Crist" width="600" height="416" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-123242" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo Source: Sportskeeda)</figcaption>

Aswin Crist, the young Tamil Nadu pacer had first hit the headlines when he had broken the back of the experienced Karnataka line up in the knockouts of the Ranji Trophy this year. He translated his good bowling form of the longer format to the shorter format as well. He emerged as the leading wicket-taker of the tournament.

Crist holds the unique distinction of bagging two five-wicket hauls this year with a best of 5/29. In the 9 matches that he played, he scalped 20 wickets with an average of 17.65. His strike rate with the ball was 20.7. Crist played a key role in helping Tamil Nadu lift the coveted silverware.

<strong>11. Kushang Patel &#8211; Saurashtra </strong>

<a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2017/03/Kushang-Dineshbhai-Patel.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-123277" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2017/03/Kushang-Dineshbhai-Patel.jpg" alt="Kushang Dineshbhai Patel" width="600" height="450" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-123277" class="wp-caption-text">Kushang Patel &#8211; Saurashtra. (Photo Source: Sportstarlive)</figcaption>

The 25-year-old pacer from Saurashtra, Kushang Patel, impressed one and all in his maiden List A tournament. Patel finished as the second leading wicket taker of Vijay Hazare Trophy 2017. With two four-wicket hauls, Patel ensured that he often did his task with the ball for the team.

He scalped 4/36 against Karnataka and then bagged 4/39 in the very next game against Jharkhand. In the 6 matches that he played, he picked up 17 wickets with an average of 15.17. He bowled with a strike rate of 20.5 &#8211; an inch better than the leading wicket taker of the tournament.

<p>A very exciting edition of the Vijay Hazare Trophy came to an end with Tamil Nadu trouncing Bengal in the finals of the tournament. Tamil Nadu were arguably the most settled team in the tournament and thus it could well be said that they were the fitting winners on the day. Taking nothing away from Bengal, they just had a bad day at the office with the bat but surely had several moments to cherish this year.</p>
<p>The tournament, Vijay Hazare Trophy 2017, in itself was a marvel. After several exciting and thrilling matches competed among the top domestic sides in India, the 25 day carnival ended. During the course of the tournament, there were a lot of highlight moments. The team that bagged most of the headlines this year was Jharkhand. This can largely be accredited to the fact that they had the services of former Indian skipper MS Dhoni.</p>
<p>Another man who made the headlines was comeback pacer Mohammad Shami. Shami was excellent for Bengal on the day of the finals. All in all, there were many performers who lit up the tournament – some big names and some new heroes on the rise. Here we pick the Best XI of Vijay Hazare 2017 who were the top performers of the season:</p>
<h4><strong>1. Abhimanyu Easwaran – Bengal</strong></h4>
<figure id="attachment_42415" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-42415" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2015/11/Abhimanyu-Easwaran.jpg"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-42415" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2015/11/Abhimanyu-Easwaran.jpg" alt="Abhimanyu Easwaran" width="650" height="435" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-42415" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo Source: CricFit)</figcaption></figure>
<p>Bengal opener Abhimanyu Easwaran has been the find of the season for his side. Easwaran had plundered runs at will in the Ranji Trophy this year. He continued his good run in the limited overs too and finished as the second leading run getter in the Vijay Hazare Trophy this year.</p>
<p>Easwaran amassed 472 runs in the 9 matches that he played with an average of 59. He had two centuries and as many number of fifties in this edition of the tournament. His rare failure came in the big finals against Tamil Nadu where he was dismissed for a single digit score. Needless to add, the team did miss his services.</p>
<h4><strong>2. Ruturaj Gaikwad – Maharashtra</strong></h4>
<figure id="attachment_123272" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-123272" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2017/03/Ruturaj-Gaikwad.jpg"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-123272" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2017/03/Ruturaj-Gaikwad.jpg" alt="Ruturaj Gaikwad" width="600" height="440" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-123272" class="wp-caption-text">Maharashtra’s Ruturaj Gaikwad. (Photo Source: BCCI)</figcaption></figure>
<p>The 20-year-old dynamic right-handed batsman from Maharashtra was playing in his first ever List A tournament this year. He scored a magnificent ton on his List A debut and smashed a quick 132 against Himachal Pradesh on the first day of the tournament. He continued his good run in the next match against Kerala where he hammered 79.</p>
<p>Later, he scored two more fifties against Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh to announce his arrival in style. In all, Ruturaj had 444 runs to his name in 7 matches with an average of 63.42. He batted with a strike rate of 92.88 and hit as many as 50 fours in the tournament – the second most by any player.</p>
<h4><strong>3. Dinesh Karthik – Tamil Nadu</strong></h4>
<figure id="attachment_81655" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-81655" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2016/08/Dinesh-Karthik-TNPL.jpg"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-81655" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2016/08/Dinesh-Karthik-TNPL.jpg" alt="Dinesh Karthik TNPL" width="600" height="406" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-81655" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo Source: TNPL)</figcaption></figure>
<p>The veteran India player came good for his domestic side Tamil Nadu this season. He was a class apart in batting this year. With 607 runs in the 9 matches that he played, DK looked like a man on a mission. His exploits will surely get him back on the selectors’ radar.</p>
<p>He averaged close to 87 this season with 2 centuries and 4 fifties to his name. On the day of the finals when both teams struggled to get runs, Dinesh played a match winning 112 for his side. He hit 75 boundaries this year – the most by any player. His strike rate of 102.01 was highly impressive too.</p>
<h4><strong>4. Manoj Tiwary – Bengal&nbsp;</strong></h4>
<figure id="attachment_96295" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-96295" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2016/11/Manoj-Tiwary.jpg"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-96295" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2016/11/Manoj-Tiwary.jpg" alt="Manoj Tiwary Ranji Trophy 2016-17" width="600" height="419" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-96295" class="wp-caption-text">Manoj Tiwary. (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption></figure>
<p>Veteran Bengal cricketer Manoj Tiwary was under the scanner for his below par show in the Ranji Trophy this year and as well as in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy this season. He managed to silence all his critics with a powerpacked season in Vijay Hazare Trophy this year. With 378 runs this season in 9 matches, Tiwary ended as the fourth leading run-getter of the tournament.</p>
<p>He averaged 54 with the bat and had two fifties to his name to go with a ton. His top score of an unbeaten 116 came against Goa during the initial days of the tournament. In the semifinals against Jharkhand, his unbeaten 75 guided Bengal to the finals.</p>
<h4><strong>5. Saurabh Tiwary – Jharkhand</strong></h4>
<figure id="attachment_120900" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-120900" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2017/03/Saurabh-Tiwary-MI-IPL.jpg"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-120900" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2017/03/Saurabh-Tiwary-MI-IPL.jpg" alt="Saurabh Tiwary of the Mumbai Indians" width="600" height="438" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-120900" class="wp-caption-text">Saurabh Tiwary. (Photo by Anesh Debiky/Gallo Images/Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>
<p>Saurabh Tiwary was one of the 5 players this season who hit two centuries in the tournament. His experience combined with the guidance of MS Dhoni worked wonders for the middle order of the Jharkhand team this season. Earlier in the Ranji Trophy this year, he had been instrumental in taking the team to the semis. He did exactly the same in the limited overs contest as well.</p>
<p>In the 8 matches that he played, he aggregated 368 runs at an average of 52.57. He hit 20 sixes this year in the tournament – the most by any batsman. He had directed the run chase with an unbeaten 102 in the match against Services at Kalyani. Later, he smashed another 102 against Hyderabad in another league fixture.</p>
<h4><strong>6. MS Dhoni – Jharkhand</strong></h4>
<figure id="attachment_122461" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-122461" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2017/03/MS-Dhoni-2.jpg"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-122461" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2017/03/MS-Dhoni-2.jpg" alt="MS Dhoni" width="600" height="410" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-122461" class="wp-caption-text">MS Dhoni. (Photo Source: Sportstarlive)</figcaption></figure>
<p>Former Indian skipper MS Dhoni was arguably the heartbeat of the season this year. Fans flocked in huge numbers to the venues where Jharkhand played to see MS Dhoni in action. The hard hitting batsman did not disappoint either. He lit up the tournament with a whirlwind 129 that singlehandedly helped Jharkhand escape from deep waters against Chhattisgarh.</p>
<p>In the semi-finals, he was the lone ranger for his side with a gritty 70 as his team crashed out of the tournament. He looked absolutely gutted after the defeat. All in all, he could safely take the honors of being the captain of the tournament. In the 8 matches that he played, he piled up 330 uns at an average of 66 and a strike rate close to 99. He hit 15 maximums in the tournament.</p>
<h4><strong>7. Krunal Pandya – Baroda</strong></h4>
<figure id="attachment_67750" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-67750" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2016/05/Krunal-Pandya-1.jpg"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-67750" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2016/05/Krunal-Pandya-1.jpg" alt="Krunal Pandya IPL 9" width="600" height="412" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-67750" class="wp-caption-text">Krunal Pandya. (Photo Source: BCCI)</figcaption></figure>
<p>Krunal Pandya, the Baroda all-rounder, excelled with both bat and the ball this season. Pandya played 8 matches in the tournament and managed to scalp 11 wickets wih an economy of 4.82. He averaged 25 with the ball. However, it was his batting that earned him a lot of praises from all fronts, including the ones from senior team members Irfan Pathan and Yusuf Pathan.</p>
<p>Pandya ended up being the 7th leading run scorer of this edition of the tournament with 366 runs to his name in 8 innings. He averaged 45.75 with the bat and had an impressive strike rate close to 82. He had 3 fifties to boast about this season to go with a cumulative of 37 boundaries.</p>
<h4><strong>8. Abhijit Sarkar – Tripura</strong></h4>
<figure id="attachment_94131" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-94131" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2016/11/Gray-Nocolls.jpg"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-94131" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2016/11/Gray-Nocolls.jpg" alt="Bat maker Gray-Nicolls" width="600" height="382" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-94131" class="wp-caption-text">Bat maker Gray-Nicolls (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption></figure>
<p>Albeit Tripura had a quiet season this year, their right arm pacer Abhijit Sarkar impressed in the limited opportunities that he got. Sarkar played 6 matches in the tournament and scalped 16 wickets – the fourth highest of the season. He bowled with an impressive average of 14.81 – the third best among the top 10 leading wicket takers of the tournament.</p>
<p>He had economy of 4.3, which is very impressive for a pace bowler. His bowling figures of 6/31 against Himachal Pradesh remain to be the best bowling figures by any bowler in the 2017 edition of the Vijay Hazare Trophy. For a 20 year old playing his first List A tournament, the numbers are quite staggering.</p>
<h4><strong>9. Shardul Thakur – Mumbai</strong></h4>
<figure id="attachment_96087" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-96087" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2016/11/Shardul-Thakur.jpg"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-96087" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2016/11/Shardul-Thakur.jpg" alt="Shardul Thakur Ranji Trophy 2016-17" width="600" height="364" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-96087" class="wp-caption-text">Shardul Thakur. (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption></figure>
<p>Shardul Thakur, the Mumbai bowler, needs no introduction. The right arm quickie has been on the fringes of international debut for quite some time now. He continued to impress with the ball as he finished with 16 wickets this season to be the third leading wicket taker of the tournament.</p>
<p>His efforts came in the 6 matches that he played and averaged 14.75 with the ball – the second best after Chhattisgarh’s Pankaj Rao (13.20). He had a four wicket haul in the tournament and his best figures were of 4/47. His strike rate with the ball was 18.4 – the best among all the bowlers this season.</p>
<h4><strong>10. Aswin Crist – Tamil Nadu</strong></h4>
<figure id="attachment_123242" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-123242" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2017/03/Aswin-Crist.jpg"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-123242" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2017/03/Aswin-Crist.jpg" alt="Aswin Crist" width="600" height="416" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-123242" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo Source: Sportskeeda)</figcaption></figure>
<p>Aswin Crist, the young Tamil Nadu pacer had first hit the headlines when he had broken the back of the experienced Karnataka line up in the knockouts of the Ranji Trophy this year. He translated his good bowling form of the longer format to the shorter format as well. He emerged as the leading wicket-taker of the tournament.</p>
<p>Crist holds the unique distinction of bagging two five-wicket hauls this year with a best of 5/29. In the 9 matches that he played, he scalped 20 wickets with an average of 17.65. His strike rate with the ball was 20.7. Crist played a key role in helping Tamil Nadu lift the coveted silverware.</p>
<h4><strong>11. Kushang Patel – Saurashtra&nbsp;</strong></h4>
<figure id="attachment_123277" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-123277" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2017/03/Kushang-Dineshbhai-Patel.jpg"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-123277" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2017/03/Kushang-Dineshbhai-Patel.jpg" alt="Kushang Dineshbhai Patel" width="600" height="450" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-123277" class="wp-caption-text">Kushang Patel – Saurashtra. (Photo Source: Sportstarlive)</figcaption></figure>
<p>The 25-year-old pacer from Saurashtra, Kushang Patel, impressed one and all in his maiden List A tournament. Patel finished as the second leading wicket taker of Vijay Hazare Trophy 2017. With two four-wicket hauls, Patel ensured that he often did his task with the ball for the team.</p>
<p>He scalped 4/36 against Karnataka and then bagged 4/39 in the very next game against Jharkhand. In the 6 matches that he played, he picked up 17 wickets with an average of 15.17. He bowled with a strike rate of 20.5 – an inch better than the leading wicket taker of the tournament.</p>

<p>A very exciting edition of the Vijay Hazare Trophy came to an end with Tamil Nadu trouncing Bengal in the finals of the tournament. Tamil Nadu were arguably the most settled team in the tournament and thus it could well be said that they were the fitting winners on the day. Taking nothing away from Bengal, they just had a bad day at the office with the bat but surely had several moments to cherish this year.</p>
<p>The tournament, Vijay Hazare Trophy 2017, in itself was a marvel. After several exciting and thrilling matches competed among the top domestic sides in India, the 25 day carnival ended. During the course of the tournament, there were a lot of highlight moments. The team that bagged most of the headlines this year was Jharkhand. This can largely be accredited to the fact that they had the services of former Indian skipper MS Dhoni.</p>
<p>Another man who made the headlines was comeback pacer Mohammad Shami. Shami was excellent for Bengal on the day of the finals. All in all, there were many performers who lit up the tournament &#8211; some big names and some new heroes on the rise. Here we pick the Best XI of Vijay Hazare 2017 who were the top performers of the season:</p>
<h4><strong>1. Abhimanyu Easwaran &#8211; Bengal</strong></h4>
<figure id="attachment_42415" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-42415" style="width: 650px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2015/11/Abhimanyu-Easwaran.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-42415" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2015/11/Abhimanyu-Easwaran.jpg" alt="Abhimanyu Easwaran" width="650" height="435" sizes="(max-width: 650px) 100vw, 650px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-42415" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo Source: CricFit)</figcaption></figure>
<p>Bengal opener Abhimanyu Easwaran has been the find of the season for his side. Easwaran had plundered runs at will in the Ranji Trophy this year. He continued his good run in the limited overs too and finished as the second leading run getter in the Vijay Hazare Trophy this year.</p>
<p>Easwaran amassed 472 runs in the 9 matches that he played with an average of 59. He had two centuries and as many number of fifties in this edition of the tournament. His rare failure came in the big finals against Tamil Nadu where he was dismissed for a single digit score. Needless to add, the team did miss his services.</p>
<h4><strong>2. Ruturaj Gaikwad &#8211; Maharashtra</strong></h4>
<figure id="attachment_123272" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-123272" style="width: 600px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2017/03/Ruturaj-Gaikwad.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-123272" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2017/03/Ruturaj-Gaikwad.jpg" alt="Ruturaj Gaikwad" width="600" height="440" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-123272" class="wp-caption-text">Maharashtra&#8217;s Ruturaj Gaikwad. (Photo Source: BCCI)</figcaption></figure>
<p>The 20-year-old dynamic right-handed batsman from Maharashtra was playing in his first ever List A tournament this year. He scored a magnificent ton on his List A debut and smashed a quick 132 against Himachal Pradesh on the first day of the tournament. He continued his good run in the next match against Kerala where he hammered 79.</p>
<p>Later, he scored two more fifties against Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh to announce his arrival in style. In all, Ruturaj had 444 runs to his name in 7 matches with an average of 63.42. He batted with a strike rate of 92.88 and hit as many as 50 fours in the tournament &#8211; the second most by any player.</p>
<h4><strong>3. Dinesh Karthik &#8211; Tamil Nadu</strong></h4>
<figure id="attachment_81655" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-81655" style="width: 600px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2016/08/Dinesh-Karthik-TNPL.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-81655" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2016/08/Dinesh-Karthik-TNPL.jpg" alt="Dinesh Karthik TNPL" width="600" height="406" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-81655" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo Source: TNPL)</figcaption></figure>
<p>The veteran India player came good for his domestic side Tamil Nadu this season. He was a class apart in batting this year. With 607 runs in the 9 matches that he played, DK looked like a man on a mission. His exploits will surely get him back on the selectors&#8217; radar.</p>
<p>He averaged close to 87 this season with 2 centuries and 4 fifties to his name. On the day of the finals when both teams struggled to get runs, Dinesh played a match winning 112 for his side. He hit 75 boundaries this year &#8211; the most by any player. His strike rate of 102.01 was highly impressive too.</p>
<h4><strong>4. Manoj Tiwary &#8211; Bengal </strong></h4>
<figure id="attachment_96295" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-96295" style="width: 600px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2016/11/Manoj-Tiwary.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-96295" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2016/11/Manoj-Tiwary.jpg" alt="Manoj Tiwary Ranji Trophy 2016-17" width="600" height="419" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-96295" class="wp-caption-text">Manoj Tiwary. (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption></figure>
<p>Veteran Bengal cricketer Manoj Tiwary was under the scanner for his below par show in the Ranji Trophy this year and as well as in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy this season. He managed to silence all his critics with a powerpacked season in Vijay Hazare Trophy this year. With 378 runs this season in 9 matches, Tiwary ended as the fourth leading run-getter of the tournament.</p>
<p>He averaged 54 with the bat and had two fifties to his name to go with a ton. His top score of an unbeaten 116 came against Goa during the initial days of the tournament. In the semifinals against Jharkhand, his unbeaten 75 guided Bengal to the finals.</p>
<h4><strong>5. Saurabh Tiwary &#8211; Jharkhand</strong></h4>
<figure id="attachment_120900" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-120900" style="width: 600px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2017/03/Saurabh-Tiwary-MI-IPL.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-120900" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2017/03/Saurabh-Tiwary-MI-IPL.jpg" alt="Saurabh Tiwary of the Mumbai Indians" width="600" height="438" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-120900" class="wp-caption-text">Saurabh Tiwary. (Photo by Anesh Debiky/Gallo Images/Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>
<p>Saurabh Tiwary was one of the 5 players this season who hit two centuries in the tournament. His experience combined with the guidance of MS Dhoni worked wonders for the middle order of the Jharkhand team this season. Earlier in the Ranji Trophy this year, he had been instrumental in taking the team to the semis. He did exactly the same in the limited overs contest as well.</p>
<p>In the 8 matches that he played, he aggregated 368 runs at an average of 52.57. He hit 20 sixes this year in the tournament &#8211; the most by any batsman. He had directed the run chase with an unbeaten 102 in the match against Services at Kalyani. Later, he smashed another 102 against Hyderabad in another league fixture.</p>
<h4><strong>6. MS Dhoni &#8211; Jharkhand</strong></h4>
<figure id="attachment_122461" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-122461" style="width: 600px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2017/03/MS-Dhoni-2.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-122461" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2017/03/MS-Dhoni-2.jpg" alt="MS Dhoni" width="600" height="410" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-122461" class="wp-caption-text">MS Dhoni. (Photo Source: Sportstarlive)</figcaption></figure>
<p>Former Indian skipper MS Dhoni was arguably the heartbeat of the season this year. Fans flocked in huge numbers to the venues where Jharkhand played to see MS Dhoni in action. The hard hitting batsman did not disappoint either. He lit up the tournament with a whirlwind 129 that singlehandedly helped Jharkhand escape from deep waters against Chhattisgarh.</p>
<p>In the semi-finals, he was the lone ranger for his side with a gritty 70 as his team crashed out of the tournament. He looked absolutely gutted after the defeat. All in all, he could safely take the honors of being the captain of the tournament. In the 8 matches that he played, he piled up 330 uns at an average of 66 and a strike rate close to 99. He hit 15 maximums in the tournament.</p>
<h4><strong>7. Krunal Pandya &#8211; Baroda</strong></h4>
<figure id="attachment_67750" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-67750" style="width: 600px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2016/05/Krunal-Pandya-1.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-67750" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2016/05/Krunal-Pandya-1.jpg" alt="Krunal Pandya IPL 9" width="600" height="412" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-67750" class="wp-caption-text">Krunal Pandya. (Photo Source: BCCI)</figcaption></figure>
<p>Krunal Pandya, the Baroda all-rounder, excelled with both bat and the ball this season. Pandya played 8 matches in the tournament and managed to scalp 11 wickets wih an economy of 4.82. He averaged 25 with the ball. However, it was his batting that earned him a lot of praises from all fronts, including the ones from senior team members Irfan Pathan and Yusuf Pathan.</p>
<p>Pandya ended up being the 7th leading run scorer of this edition of the tournament with 366 runs to his name in 8 innings. He averaged 45.75 with the bat and had an impressive strike rate close to 82. He had 3 fifties to boast about this season to go with a cumulative of 37 boundaries.</p>
<h4><strong>8. Abhijit Sarkar &#8211; Tripura</strong></h4>
<figure id="attachment_94131" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-94131" style="width: 600px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2016/11/Gray-Nocolls.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-94131" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2016/11/Gray-Nocolls.jpg" alt="Bat maker Gray-Nicolls" width="600" height="382" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-94131" class="wp-caption-text">Bat maker Gray-Nicolls (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption></figure>
<p>Albeit Tripura had a quiet season this year, their right arm pacer Abhijit Sarkar impressed in the limited opportunities that he got. Sarkar played 6 matches in the tournament and scalped 16 wickets &#8211; the fourth highest of the season. He bowled with an impressive average of 14.81 &#8211; the third best among the top 10 leading wicket takers of the tournament.</p>
<p>He had economy of 4.3, which is very impressive for a pace bowler. His bowling figures of 6/31 against Himachal Pradesh remain to be the best bowling figures by any bowler in the 2017 edition of the Vijay Hazare Trophy. For a 20 year old playing his first List A tournament, the numbers are quite staggering.</p>
<h4><strong>9. Shardul Thakur &#8211; Mumbai</strong></h4>
<figure id="attachment_96087" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-96087" style="width: 600px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2016/11/Shardul-Thakur.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-96087" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2016/11/Shardul-Thakur.jpg" alt="Shardul Thakur Ranji Trophy 2016-17" width="600" height="364" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-96087" class="wp-caption-text">Shardul Thakur. (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption></figure>
<p>Shardul Thakur, the Mumbai bowler, needs no introduction. The right arm quickie has been on the fringes of international debut for quite some time now. He continued to impress with the ball as he finished with 16 wickets this season to be the third leading wicket taker of the tournament.</p>
<p>His efforts came in the 6 matches that he played and averaged 14.75 with the ball &#8211; the second best after Chhattisgarh&#8217;s Pankaj Rao (13.20). He had a four wicket haul in the tournament and his best figures were of 4/47. His strike rate with the ball was 18.4 &#8211; the best among all the bowlers this season.</p>
<h4><strong>10. Aswin Crist &#8211; Tamil Nadu</strong></h4>
<figure id="attachment_123242" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-123242" style="width: 600px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2017/03/Aswin-Crist.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-123242" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2017/03/Aswin-Crist.jpg" alt="Aswin Crist" width="600" height="416" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-123242" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo Source: Sportskeeda)</figcaption></figure>
<p>Aswin Crist, the young Tamil Nadu pacer had first hit the headlines when he had broken the back of the experienced Karnataka line up in the knockouts of the Ranji Trophy this year. He translated his good bowling form of the longer format to the shorter format as well. He emerged as the leading wicket-taker of the tournament.</p>
<p>Crist holds the unique distinction of bagging two five-wicket hauls this year with a best of 5/29. In the 9 matches that he played, he scalped 20 wickets with an average of 17.65. His strike rate with the ball was 20.7. Crist played a key role in helping Tamil Nadu lift the coveted silverware.</p>
<h4><strong>11. Kushang Patel &#8211; Saurashtra </strong></h4>
<figure id="attachment_123277" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-123277" style="width: 600px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2017/03/Kushang-Dineshbhai-Patel.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-123277" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2017/03/Kushang-Dineshbhai-Patel.jpg" alt="Kushang Dineshbhai Patel" width="600" height="450" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-123277" class="wp-caption-text">Kushang Patel &#8211; Saurashtra. (Photo Source: Sportstarlive)</figcaption></figure>
<p>The 25-year-old pacer from Saurashtra, Kushang Patel, impressed one and all in his maiden List A tournament. Patel finished as the second leading wicket taker of Vijay Hazare Trophy 2017. With two four-wicket hauls, Patel ensured that he often did his task with the ball for the team.</p>
<p>He scalped 4/36 against Karnataka and then bagged 4/39 in the very next game against Jharkhand. In the 6 matches that he played, he picked up 17 wickets with an average of 15.17. He bowled with a strike rate of 20.5 &#8211; an inch better than the leading wicket taker of the tournament.</p>

Vijay Hazare Trophy 2017: Best XI of the tournament

A very exciting edition of the Vijay Hazare Trophy came to an end with Tamil Nadu trouncing Bengal in the finals of the tournament. Tamil Nadu were arguably