Revealed: How much money will Virat Kohli make in Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025–26?

In a historic return to domestic cricket, India's batting juggernaut Virat Kohli is set to represent Delhi in the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025/26. This marks Kohli’s first appearance in the premier one-day tournament since the 2009-10 season, ending a 15-year hiatus. The Delhi & District Cricket Association (DDCA) has named him in a 19-member squad for the competition’s opening phase, where he will play under the captaincy of Rishabh Pant, with Ayush Badoni serving as vice-captain.

Virat Kohli to feature for Delhi in Vijay Hazare Trophy 

Kohli's participation follows a mandatory directive from the BCCI, which requires all centrally contracted Indian players to feature in at least two rounds of the List A event when not on international duty. This policy has transformed the VHT 2025-26 into a star-studded affair, as fellow icons like Rohit Sharma and Rishabh Pant have also confirmed their availability. Kohli is expected to feature in Delhi’s initial Group D matches in Bengaluru, starting with the opener against Andhra on December 24.

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Here’s how much Virat Kohli will earn in Vijay Hazare Trophy?

Beyond the excitement of his return, Kohli’s participation highlights the updated domestic pay structure. As a veteran with over 41 List A appearances (boasting 341 matches in total), Kohli falls into the highest experience bracket, earning a match fee of Rs 60,000 per day. While this is a fraction of his international earnings, it sits at the top of the domestic scale—surpassing the bracket (0–20 matches) of Rs 40,000 and bracket (21–40 matches) of Rs 50,000, ensuring the game's biggest stars are compensated at the peak of the domestic framework.

When looking at Virat Kohli’s salary for the 2025/26 Vijay Hazare Trophy, it is important to understand that the BCCI follows a standardized domestic pay structure. Unlike international cricket, where star power influences pay, domestic match fees are strictly determined by a player's experience level, specifically the number of List A matches they have played in their career.

The current payment model for the Vijay Hazare Trophy is divided into three distinct experience brackets:

(0–20 matches): Rs 40,000 per match
(21–40 matches): Rs 50,000 per match
(41+ matches): Rs 60,000 per match

Given that Kohli is a veteran of 342 List A games, he automatically qualifies for the highest senior bracket. He will receive Rs 60,000 for every match he plays for Delhi in the league stage. Since he is expected to be available for three specific fixtures, the tournament opener against Andhra on December 24, a clash with Gujarat on December 26, and a game against Railways on January 6, he is set to earn a total of Rs 1,80,000 for the tournament. While these domestic earnings are quite modest compared to his international status, Kohli remains one of the highest-paid cricketers globally through his BCCI A+ Central Contract. This elite contract provides him with an annual retainer of Rs 7 crore, in addition to separate match fees for every One Day International he plays for the national side.