Virat Kohli set to return to Vijay Hazare Trophy after 15 years

On Tuesday, December 2, the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) confirmed that the Indian talisman No.3 ODI batter Virat Kohli is all set to return to the domestic premier one-day tournament Vijay Hazare Trophy after a gap of 15 years.

For the unversed, Kohli last played in the Vijay Hazare Trophy in February 2010 against the Services. Moreover, he had represented Delhi in another List A game in the NKP Salve Challenger Trophy in 2013.

The DDCA Secretary Ashok Sharma, in an exclusive interview with India Today, has confirmed that the veteran batter is all set to play a few games in the campaign, which is scheduled to start later this month. 

"Virat Kohli informed DDCA president Rohan Jaitley that he will play VHT," Ashok Sharma told India Today

Interestingly, Kohli came to this decision after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the Ajit Agarkar-led Indian selection committee demanded that international players take part in domestic cricket to prove their fitness and form. 

Delhi will initiate its VHT 2025-26 campaign against Andhra on Wednesday, December 24, and this contest is expected to draw a bigger crowd than usual for a domestic 50-over match. Delhi is scheduled to play its league games across the Alur and the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.

Virat Kohli has been in exceptional form, scoring his 83rd international century in the first ODI of the three-match series against South Africa on Sunday, November 30, in Ranchi. On the other hand, Rohit Sharma also confirmed to the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) about his participation in the one-day tournament.

Led by Nitish Rana, Delhi bagged two wins in four games so far in the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025-26 campaign.

Stay updated with the latest cricket news, match insights, and exclusive updates at Sky365 and download the Sky365 App to start betting today!