Vijay Hazare Trophy: Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma Absent From Round 3 Squads – See Why

Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma were the most high-profile absentees from Delhi and Mumbai’s squads, respectively, for Round 3 of the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26 on Monday, despite both senior batters featuring earlier in the domestic one-day competition.

Delhi took on Saurashtra at the Karnataka Cricket Association Stadium in Alur, while Mumbai faced Chhattisgarh in Jaipur. However, neither of India’s batting greats was part of the playing XI.

However, their absence was not due to injury. Kohli and Rohit were pre-scheduled to play only two matches each in the tournament, a decision made according to India’s upcoming international commitments.

Planned Rest After Strong Domestic Returns

Both Virat and Rohit completed their designated appearances in the opening rounds of VHT, following which team management opted to rest them.

Kohli made an immediate impact on his return to domestic cricket. Turning out for Delhi, he registered a commanding 131 in his first match, followed by a 77-run innings in his second outing.

Rohit Sharma also stunningly began the tournament for Mumbai, hammering a blistering 155 in his opening appearance. However, his campaign ended on a contrasting note when he suffered a golden duck against Uttarakhand, a rare failure for the former India skipper.

International Commitments Take Priority

The rest period comes with India’s international calendar in focus. Both Kohli and Rohit are members of the Indian ODI squad for the upcoming home series against New Zealand, which begins on January 11, and are expected to report to the national camp shortly.

The pair are also likely to be a part of the Indian squad for the upcoming ODI World Cup, which will be played in 2027 in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia.

According to a Cricbuzz report, Kohli is likely to make one additional appearance later in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. The report states that he is expected to feature in Delhi’s match against Railways on January 6.

Rohit Sharma, however, is unlikely to return to the tournament. The same report indicates that his involvement in the competition has concluded, with Mumbai set to continue the campaign without their senior-most batter.