Batting great Virat Kohli will feature for Delhi in the Vijay Hazare Trophy (VHT). The 2025-26 edition of the premier domestic 50-over tournament will be played from December 24 to January 18. Kohli, who is currently featuring for India in the three-match ODI series against South Africa, has confirmed his availability to the Delhi & District Cricket Association (DDCA) that he will feature in the domestic tournament.
Delhi will face Andhra on December 24 in their opener clash of the Vijay Hazare Trophy. The legendary batter last played in the VHT clash in 2010.
"He has confirmed his availability to play in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. How many games he will feature in, that is not clear yet. Obviously, him being around will be a massive boost to the Delhi dressing room," Jaitley told PTI.
Virat Kohli's VHT career
Delhi will play five of their league matches in Alur, just outside Bengaluru, and the remaining two at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, which is the home ground of Virat Kohli’s IPL team, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).
Kohli hasn’t played 50-over cricket for Delhi in more than a decade. His last appearance came in September 2013 during the NKP Salve Challenger Trophy, which also featured India Blue and India Red. The last time he took part in the Vijay Hazare Trophy was back in the 2009-10 season, and he captained Delhi in both editions. He played 13 matches for Delhi in the VHT between 2008 and 2010, scoring 819 runs at an average of 68.25, including four centuries and three fifties.
Rohit will also play VHT for Mumbai
Notably, both Rohit and Virat were amongst the highest run-getters in the series opener against the Proteas in Ranchi. They played their first international game in months during the tour of Australia last month.
After failing to score a run in the first two games Down Under, Kohli got into the groove with a half-century in the third and final ODI. Rohit had smashed a hundred in the same game held in Sydney.
Why Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma to feature in VHT?
BCCI has made playing domestic cricket mandatory for contracted cricketers unless they are injured or on national duty after India's dismal outing in Australia during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 earlier this year.