Despite a long gap between Australia tour and home series against South Africa, the India veteran was seen in blazing form in the IND vs SA 1st ODI. As New Zealand series approaches, we answer the burning question – Will Virat Kohli play Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26?
Before jumping into the specifics, let’s look at India’s schedule and the ODI matches where Kohli is expected to take part. India will face South Africa tomorrow (December 3) for the 2nd ODI. After a magnificent comeback century in the last game, he is expected to carry his good momentum. The third and final match of the series will take place on December 6 in Visakhapatnam.
Team India will continue to host South Africa for five T20Is, before the ODI series against New Zealand. It’ll start on January 11, 2026, in Vadodara. The subsequent ODIs will take place on January 14 and 18.
On the other hand, the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26 will kick off on December 24, 2025. Kohli’s home team, Delhi, will play their first match against Andhra in Alur. They will play three more matches in the same city, against Gujarat, Saurashtra, and Odisha. The action for the Delhi team will then move to Bengaluru from January 3, 2026, for the match against Services.
As per the latest statement by the president of the Delhi District Cricket Association (DDCA), the answer to will Virat Kohli play Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26 is yes.
“He has given his availability,” Rohan Jaitley confirmed a day before IND vs SA 2nd ODI.
However, Virat Kohli will not be available for the entirety of the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26.
As per other sources, the 37-year-old player will play two matches in total, in Alur and Bengaluru. Syncing it with India’s ODI schedule, he might be seen playing against Andhra, Gujarat, Saurashtra, and/or Odisha as they take place between the South Africa and New Zealand ODIs.
Kohli last played domestic cricket for Delhi earlier this year. He returned to play the Ranji Trophy match after an over a decade-long gap. Kohli’s change of heart comes after the BCCI’s instructions to players featuring in domestic formats when not playing International cricket. In the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT), India’s T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav and Shivam Dube have also taken part, keeping the same directives in mind.
Alike the Ranji Trophy, Virat Kohli last played in the Vijay Hazare Trophy in February 2010. Overall, he has appeared in 14 VHT games, scoring 819 runs, including four centuries and three half-centuries. His average stands at 68.25 and a decent strike rate of 106.08
For more updates, follow CricXtasy on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.
