Amidst speculation about pressure from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), a BCCI official has stated that Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are participating in the upcoming Vijay Hazare Trophy of their own accord. This clarification comes as both veteran players gear up to play in India's premier domestic one-day tournament, which is scheduled to begin on December 24, 2025.
The official emphasized that neither Kohli nor Sharma were forced to participate, dismissing rumors of a mandate from the BCCI. According to reports, the BCCI wants both Kohli and Rohit to participate in the Vijay Hazare Trophy to stay in contention for the 2027 ODI World Cup. While Rohit had reportedly already expressed his desire to return to domestic cricket, Kohli has also agreed.
Kohli's participation marks his return to the Vijay Hazare Trophy after a gap of 15 years. The Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) confirmed that Kohli had made himself available for the tournament. DDCA secretary Ashok Sharma stated that Virat Kohli informed DDCA president Rohan Jaitley that he would play in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. Delhi will begin their campaign against Andhra Pradesh on December 24.
Sharma, who retired from Tests alongside Kohli earlier this year, is also expected to feature for Mumbai in the Vijay Hazare Trophy.
Concerns arose regarding the match fitness of Sharma and Kohli following their Test retirements in May. The BCCI had earlier mandated that all centrally contracted players participate in domestic cricket. Subsequently, both Sharma and Kohli represented Mumbai and Delhi, respectively, in the Ranji Trophy.
Kohli, now exclusively an ODI player for India, recently scored his 52nd ODI century against South Africa in Ranchi. He last played in a 50-over match for Delhi in 2013. Sharma had officially informed the Mumbai Cricket Association of his availability to play for his state team in the premier 50-over tournament last month.
Their return to domestic cricket is expected to motivate the next generation of cricketers and hone their skills. Both players demonstrated their form in the recent ODI series against South Africa.
