Last Updated:
Rohan Jaitley confirms Virat Kohli will play within the 2025-26 Vijay Hazare Trophy, marking his return after 15 years.
Virat Kohli during his century in Ranchi. (Picture Credit: AP)
Delhi & District Cricket Association (DDCA) president Rohan Jaitley has confirmed that Virat Kohli will play some part within the upcoming 2025-26 Vijay Hazare Trophy (VHT) season. Jaitley’s confirmation got here amid reports that he had refused to take part in India’s premier List-A contest, though the administrator didn’t mention what number of or which specific games would Kohli play.
The 37-year-old is currently in Raipur, playing for India within the three-ODI series against South Africa. The VHT 2025-26 season begins on December 24, and all of Delhi’s group stage matches might be played in Alur or Bengaluru.
“He has confirmed his availability to play within the Vijay Hazare Trophy. What number of games he’ll feature in, that is just not clear yet. Obviously him being around might be an enormous boost to the Delhi dressing room,” Jaitley told news agency PTI.
Kohli last played within the VHT in February 2010. He featured in the house World Cup the next 12 months, cementing his place within the side, and eventually went on to develop into a captain and an all-time great.
His all-format prowess, responsibilities, and workload meant that domestic appearances became extinct. He made a transient return to the Ranji Trophy last 12 months, playing for Delhi against Railways on the Arun Jaitley Stadium.
That was prompted by the BCCI’s strict directive to all contracted players to play domestic competitions every time they’ve time from international assignments. Kohli retired from Tests soon after, though, and since he had called off his T20I profession earlier in 2024, it left ODIs as his only energetic international format.
Kohli appears to be pushing himself to feature within the 2027 World Cup in Africa. The BCCI have reportedly asked him and Rohit Sharma to play within the VHT to keep up match fitness.
Kohli sent a message together with his match-winning century in the primary ODI against South Africa, which he followed it up with a comment that he has never been too keen on over-preparation. It makes his comeback after a niche of 15 years that way more special.
Click here so as to add News18 as your selected news source on Google. December 02, 2025, 22:04 IST
Read More