Kohli Returns to Vijay Hazare Trophy After 15 Years
The star batter confirms availability for Delhi ahead of the 2025–26 domestic season.
Virat Kohli is set to make a major domestic cricket comeback as he returns to the Vijay Hazare Trophy after 15 years, joining Delhi for the 2025–26 season. His last appearance in the tournament was in 2010 against Services, where he captained the squad and scored 16 runs off eight balls, while current BCCI President Mithun Manhas scored 148 in the same match.
Delhi is currently stationed in Bengaluru, where all league-stage fixtures will be played across the city and at Alur. However, venue uncertainty remains for matches scheduled at M Chinnaswamy Stadium, with the BCCI Centre of Excellence (COE) ground being considered as an alternate host. While reports suggest Kohli may feature in only 2–3 matches, the Delhi and District Cricket Association confirmed he has conveyed his availability, though an official match-wise confirmation is still awaited.
The Vijay Hazare Trophy begins on December 24, shortly after the ongoing India–South Africa ODI series concludes. Kohli is expected to join Delhi before the opening fixture against Andhra. However, if Delhi advances to the knockout stage scheduled from January 12 to 18 in Bengaluru, Kohli will be unavailable due to his commitment to India’s ODI series against New Zealand.
Delhi’s Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025–26 Fixtures
| Date | Match |
|---|---|
| 24 Dec 2025 | Delhi vs Andhra |
| 26 Dec 2025 | Delhi vs Gujarat |
| 29 Dec 2025 | Delhi vs Saurashtra |
| 31 Dec 2025 | Delhi vs Odisha |
| 3 Jan 2026 | Delhi vs Services |
| 6 Jan 2026 | Delhi vs Railways |
| 8 Jan 2026 | Delhi vs Haryana |
Knockout Stage (if qualified):
-
Quarter-Finals: January 12–13, 2026
-
Semi-Finals: January 15–16, 2026
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Final: January 18, 2026 (Bengaluru)
This article is authored by Akanksha Sudham, an intern at Deccan Chronicle
