Virat Kohli Set to Return for Delhi in Vijay Hazare Trophy

Virat Kohli is poised to return to domestic cricket for Delhi in the upcoming Vijay Hazare Trophy, marking his first appearance in 15 years. Confirmed by the DDCA, Kohli's participation comes after a period of uncertainty regarding his involvement. With the tournament scheduled from December 24 to January 18, fans are eager to see how many matches he will play. Kohli's last domestic outing was in 2010, and he aims to extend his career into the 2027 World Cup. This article explores his return, match schedules, and performance history in the Vijay Hazare Trophy.

By Narendra Chaudhary Dec 3, 2025, 13:44 IST

Kohli's Comeback in Domestic Cricket

Former Indian cricket captain and renowned batsman, Virat Kohli, is gearing up to return to the field for Delhi in the upcoming Vijay Hazare Trophy. This prestigious List A tournament is slated to run from December 24 to January 18, with the inaugural match featuring Puducherry against Tamil Nadu at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

Following the Board of Control for Cricket in India's (BCCI) directive for contracted players to participate in domestic matches for national selection consideration, Kohli has confirmed his participation to the Delhi District Cricket Association (DDCA). Previously, there were reports suggesting that he might skip the tournament due to ongoing tensions with head coach Gautam Gambhir.

Kohli's Long-Awaited Return

This edition of the Vijay Hazare Trophy will mark Kohli's first appearance in the tournament in 15 years. His last match for Delhi was against Services in February 2010, where he served as captain in Gurgaon. Since then, international commitments have kept him away from this domestic competition.

DDCA Confirms Kohli's Participation

DDCA secretary Ashok Sharma has confirmed that Kohli will wear the Delhi colors in the upcoming tournament, although he is uncertain about how many matches the star player will participate in. 'He will definitely play a few games, but not sure about the entire Vijay Hazare Trophy,' Sharma stated to a sports media outlet.

.@imVkohli is all set to play domestic cricket for Delhi again! "He will definitely play a few games, but not sure about the entire Vijay Hazare Trophy." DDCA secretary Ashok Sharma told @ESPNcricinfo WATCH HIM NEXT #INDvSA 2nd ODI WED, 3rd DEC, 12:30 PM pic.twitter.com/3n5jQFCBwy

— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) December 2, 2025

Kohli's Domestic Cricket History

Recent reports indicated that Kohli had initially declined to participate in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, while Rohit Sharma confirmed his availability for the Mumbai Cricket Association. The BCCI was not inclined to make exceptions for any player.

Kohli's last appearance in domestic cricket was during a Ranji Trophy match for Delhi against Railways at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi, which generated significant excitement as it was his first first-class domestic match in over ten years.

Upcoming Matches and Future Plans

While Kohli has confirmed his availability for the Vijay Hazare Trophy, the specific date of his first match remains unannounced. Currently, he is engaged in an ODI series against South Africa, concluding on December 6. Following this, India will face New Zealand starting January 11, 2026.

Having retired from T20Is and Tests, Kohli is now focusing on ODI cricket, aiming to extend his career until the 2027 World Cup, which is expected to be his final tournament. The BCCI is keen for both Kohli and Rohit Sharma to participate in 50-over domestic matches to evaluate their fitness and performance ahead of the World Cup.

The first ODI against New Zealand is set for January 11, and Kohli is anticipated to play several matches for Delhi in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. Delhi's group stage includes four matches in December against Andhra, Gujarat, Saurashtra, and Odisha on the 24th, 26th, 29th, and 31st, respectively, at Alur and the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.

Kohli boasts an impressive record in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, having scored 819 runs, including four centuries and five fifties, with an average of 68.50 across 13 matches.