The 2025-26 edition of India's premier domestic 50-over competition, the Vijay Hazare Trophy, has completed its third round of matches. The tournament, featuring 38 teams battling for glory, has started to reveal its early front-runners and standout performers.
Unbeaten Records Hold Strong
After the conclusion of Monday's fixtures, a clear pattern has emerged. Six teams across the four Elite groups and one team in the Plate group have maintained perfect records, winning all three of their opening encounters. This sets the stage for an intense mid-season battle as the league phase progresses.
In Group A, Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka are locked at the top with 12 points each from three wins. Madhya Pradesh leads the group due to a superior Net Run Rate (NRR) of +1.017 compared to Karnataka's +0.370. Jharkhand, despite a thrilling high-scoring loss to Karnataka in a match that featured a 33-ball century from skipper Ishan Kishan and a classy hundred from Devdutt Padikkal, sits third with eight points.
Group Leaders and Standout Performances
Uttar Pradesh is the sole team with a flawless record in Group B, having defeated Hyderabad, Chandigarh, and Baroda. Their impressive NRR of +2.433 is the best among all Elite group leaders.
Group C sees two unbeaten sides: traditional powerhouse Mumbai and Goa. Mumbai's dominant performances have given them the top spot on the basis of a formidable NRR of +2.427, one of the best in the tournament so far.
The story in Group D is the strong start by Delhi, a side that featured the legendary Virat Kohli in its first two rounds. Under the leadership of wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant, Delhi has secured victories against Andhra, Gujarat, and Saurashtra to sit comfortably at the summit.
Plate Group Dominance and Points Table Snapshot
In the Plate Group, Bihar has been utterly dominant, mirroring the Elite group leaders with 12 points from three wins. Their staggering Net Run Rate of +3.716 underscores the comprehensive nature of their victories and makes them the team to beat in their section.
Here is a quick glance at the top of the tables after three rounds:
Group A: 1. MP (12 pts, NRR +1.017), 2. KAR (12 pts, NRR +0.370), 3. JHKD (8 pts, NRR +1.268).
Group B: 1. UP (12 pts, NRR +2.433), 2. JK (8 pts, NRR +1.423).
Group C: 1. MUM (12 pts, NRR +2.427), 2. GOA (12 pts, NRR +0.697).
Group D: 1. DEL (12 pts, NRR +0.644), 2. ODSA (8 pts, NRR +1.144).
Plate Group: 1. BIH (12 pts, NRR +3.716), 2. NGL (8 pts, NRR +1.693).
The tournament has already witnessed historic feats, like Karnataka's record run-chase against Jharkhand, and the involvement of star Indian internationals. As the competition moves forward, the focus will be on which of these unbeaten teams can sustain their momentum and which chasing packs can close the gap. The battle for knockout spots is well and truly heating up.
