Virat Kohli Confirms Availability for Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025–26

Indian cricket superstar Virat Kohli has officially confirmed his availability to represent Delhi in the upcoming Vijay Hazare Trophy, beginning December 24.
DDCA president Rohan Jaitley confirmed the development, saying:
"He has confirmed his availability… We look forward to having him around."

Why This Is Big

Kohli’s confirmation ends rumours that he might skip the domestic tournament despite strong expectations from the team management and selectors. Head coach Gautam Gambhir and chief selector Ajit Agarkar had insisted that both Kohli and Rohit Sharma should play domestic 50-over cricket to stay ready for World Cup 2027.

Recent Drama & Dressing Room Tension

• Reports of a communication gap between Kohli, Rohit, and Gambhir have been dominating Indian cricket chatter.

• Kohli’s recent cold shoulder to Gambhir in the dressing room after the first ODI only added fuel to the fire.

• Cameras also caught selector Pragyan Ojha having an animated discussion with Kohli at Ranchi airport — minutes after sitting with Gambhir.

Kohli & Rohit Answer Critics on the Field

• In the recent ODI vs South Africa:

  • Kohli smashed 135

  • Rohit scored 57

  • The pair added 136 runs for the second wicket.

• In the Sydney ODI, both shared another century stand.

• After his century, Kohli subtly remarked that he doesn't need “excessive preparation,” interpreted by many as a jab at the domestic-appearance directive.

BCCI’s Domestic Play Rule

This year, BCCI issued a clear guideline:
All centrally contracted players must play domestic cricket whenever the schedule allows to stay eligible for national selection.

Which Matches Could Kohli Play?

Delhi’s fixtures (Group Stage):

• Dec 24 – Andhra Pradesh

• Dec 26 – Gujarat

• Dec 29 – Saurashtra

• Dec 31 – Odisha

• Jan 3 – Services

• Jan 6 – Railways

• Jan 8 – Haryana

Kohli is expected to be part of India’s ODI series vs New Zealand from Jan 11, so he will likely play multiple group matches, though specifics are not confirmed—especially since he may travel to London after the SA series on Dec 6.

A 15-Year Return to Domestic 50-Overs Cricket

Kohli last played the Vijay Hazare Trophy in 2010, making this comeback after 15 years a major boost for Delhi cricket, which has struggled in Ranji and SMAT in recent years.