Virat Kohli has confirmed his participation in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, starting December 24th. The BCCI has made it mandatory for contracted players to play domestic cricket unless injured. Kohli will return to the Vijay Hazare Trophy for the first time since February 2010, representing the Delhi team. Kohli is returning to the Hazare Trophy for the first time since playing against Services in February 2010.
The BCCI has made it mandatory for contracted cricketers to play domestic cricket unless injured or on national duty. A source told NDTV on Tuesday that Rohit Sharma has confirmed his availability to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) selection committee for the upcoming Vijay Hazare Trophy, but Kohli had previously declined to participate in the ODI tournament.
As per the latest reports, “Virat has confirmed his availability to play in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. It’s not yet clear how many games he will play. Obviously, having him in the team will be a huge boost to the Delhi dressing room,” said Arun Jaitley. Delhi will begin its Vijay Hazare campaign against Andhra in Bengaluru on December 24. In total, they will play six games.
When Kohli is on the field, fans are expected to turn out in large numbers to watch the action. Over 12,000 people turned out to watch Kohli play, a figure not seen for a domestic match in a long time. He had returned to the Ranji Trophy to prepare for international duty, but in a surprising decision, he announced his retirement from Test cricket before the England tour.
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Virat Kohli Last Played Vijay Hazare Trophy in 2010
When Virat Kohli last led the Delhi team in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, big names like Shikhar Dhawan, Mithun Manhas, and Rajat Bhatia played under his captaincy. Now that Virat is going to play the Vijay Hazare Trophy again after 15 years, the 37-year-old batting legend has agreed to play in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, which begins on December 24th. Kohli’s fans rejoiced as soon as Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) President Rohan Jaitley confirmed this on the night of December 2nd.
When and where did Virat play his last Vijay Hazare Trophy match?
Virat Kohli last appeared in the 50-over tournament in February 2010. He captained Delhi in that match against Services on February 18th at the Gurgaon ground. Coming in at number five, Kohli scored 16 runs in eight balls before being caught by wicketkeeper Tahir Khan off Shadab Nazar. In this North Zone match, Delhi won the toss and batted first against Services, scoring 311 runs for the loss of six wickets in the stipulated 50 overs.
Shikhar Dhawan opened the innings with a 32-run knock from 37 balls, while Mithun Manhas, coming in at number three, contributed a brilliant 148 runs from 154 balls.
Mithun Manhas is the BCCI president today. Rajat Bhatia also played in that match and is now part of the Lucknow Supergiants’ support staff. After impressing with the bat, Virat’s team also performed brilliantly with the ball. The services’ innings were bundled out for just 198 runs. The team failed to play the full 50 overs. Delhi’s Parvesh Chikara took the highest four wickets for Delhi, but unfortunately, the team failed to reach the knockout stage.
Why is Virat Kohli playing the Vijay Hazare Trophy?
The BCCI has made it mandatory for contracted cricketers to play domestic cricket unless they are injured or playing for the national team. This is why Virat Kohli, who is based in London, is having to play in this domestic tournament after 15 years. Earlier this year, Kohli was the center of attention in a Ranji Trophy match, playing his first first-class match in more than 12 years.
The 37-year-old Virat Kohli scored his 52nd century in the first match of the series in Ranchi, showing that he is in good form despite playing only one format of the game after announcing his retirement from Test cricket earlier this year. Virat Kohli retired from T20 Internationals after India’s victory in the 2024 World Cup in Barbados.
Now, he wants to end his cricket career after playing the ODI World Cup in 2027. Rohit Sharma, who retired from Test cricket before the England tour, is also expected to play for Mumbai in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. However, head coach Gautam Gambhir has stood firm against the two veterans’ intentions to play in the World Cup.
Virat Kohli has agreed to play in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, which begins on December 24th. Kohli’s agreement has further increased the excitement among cricket fans about the tournament. It’s no wonder Kohli is playing in this List A domestic cricket tournament after years. The DDCA has also confirmed Virat Kohli’s participation in the Vijay Hazare Trophy.
What is Delhi’s schedule like in the Vijay Hazare Trophy?
Virat Kohli will play for his home team, Delhi, in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. Looking at Delhi’s schedule in the tournament, they will face Andhra Pradesh on December 24th, Gujarat on December 26th, and Saurashtra on December 29th. After this, Delhi will face Odisha on December 31st. Delhi will play Services on January 3rd, while Railways will face Haryana on January 6th.
Virat Kohli will be playing in the Vijay Hazare Trophy for the first time in 2010, where he could receive ₹60,000 for each match. This is the same match fee as the senior players included in the playing eleven in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. If Virat Kohli plays three matches, as reported, he could earn ₹180,000. The 37-year-old star player has played 14 matches in the Vijay Hazare Trophy.
Virat Kohli’s stats in the Vijay Hazare Trophy
Virat Kohli has made a big decision amid the ongoing ODI series against South Africa. He returns to play in the Vijay Hazare Trophy after a long wait of 15 years; fans will be watching him. The 37-year-old star player has played 14 matches in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. He has scored 819 runs at an average of 68.25 and a strike rate of 106.08. He has scored 4 centuries and 3 half-centuries in the domestic 50-over tournament.
Virat may play some league stage matches
Virat Kohli will be available for the entire league stage of the Vijay Hazare Trophy, starting on December 24. The ODI series against South Africa will conclude on December 6. The Indian team will then play the next ODI series on January 11. Each team will play seven league matches during the Vijay Hazare Trophy tournament, but there is no official word yet on whether Virat will play all the league stage matches. Delhi will play all of its league matches in Bengaluru in the Vijay Hazare Trophy.
Virat Kohli played a brilliant innings in the Ranchi ODI
Virat Kohli recently scored a century in the first ODI against South Africa in Ranchi. This was the 52nd century of his ODI career. He has now scored 14,390 runs in 306 matches in this format. The BCCI has made it mandatory for all contracted players to play domestic cricket. Furthermore, Kohli now plays only one format, having retired from Tests and T20Is. Therefore, he has decided to play in this tournament to keep himself match-fit and return to the domestic circuit.
Delhi’s Schedule in the 2025-26 Vijay Hazare Trophy
- December 24 – Delhi vs. Andhra
- December 26 – Delhi vs. Gujarat
- December 29 – Delhi vs. Saurashtra
- December 31 – Delhi vs. Odisha
- January 3 – Delhi vs. Services
- January 6 – Delhi vs. Railways
- January 8 – Delhi vs. Haryana
Rishabh Pant will play with Virat Kohli
Team India’s star wicketkeeper, Rishabh Pant, has been out of the playing XI in ODI cricket. According to media reports, Kohli informed the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) of his availability. Now, an update has come that Rishabh Pant has also agreed to play for Delhi along with Kohli. This means that both Kohli and Pant may be seen playing for Delhi in the Vijay Hazare Trophy.
When did Rishabh Pant last play in a domestic ODI tournament?
Regarding Rishabh Pant, he last played in the Vijay Hazare Trophy for Delhi in the 2018 season. During that time, Pant scored 531 runs in 19 matches, including a century and two half-centuries. Now, seven years later, Pant will once again play the Vijay Hazare Trophy for Delhi. He also wants to prove himself for the 2027 ODI World Cup. Pant has so far scored 871 runs in 31 ODIs for India.
When will the Vijay Hazare Trophy begin?
The upcoming season of the Vijay Hazare Trophy will begin on December 24th. Delhi’s group-stage matches will conclude on January 8th. Immediately afterward, the ODI series between India and New Zealand will begin on January 11th. Consequently, Kohli and Pant will be directly involved in the New Zealand series after the Vijay Hazare Trophy.
India vs New Zealand ODI Series Schedule:
| Date | Match | Venue | Start Time (IST) |
| January 11, 2026 | First ODI | Vadodara | 1:30 PM |
| January 14, 2026 | Second ODI | Rajkot | 1:30 PM |
| January 18, 2026 | Third ODI | Indore | 1:30 PM |