Virat Kohli has confirmed availability for Delhi’s Vijay Hazare Trophy on January 6
Kohli to play three games, going beyond the BCCI’s minimum requirement for centrally contracted players
The match forms part of Kohli’s preparation for the three-match ODI series against New Zealand
India’s batting mainstay Virat Kohli is set to feature in Delhi’s Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26 Elite Group fixture against Railways on January 6, scheduled to be played at the BCCI Centre of Excellence (COE) in Bengaluru.
The decision to play Kohli was confirmed on Monday by the Delhi & District Cricket Association (DDCA) president Rohan Jaitley. “As of now, he is playing. Virat has given his availability for three games,” Jaitley told PTI.
Kohli’s decision goes beyond the BCCI directive for centrally contracted players, which mandates participation in a minimum of two Vijay Hazare matches.
The former India captain has opted to make himself available for a third domestic one-day game as part of his preparation for the upcoming home ODI series against New Zealand later this month.
Kohli’s Rich Form In Vijay Hazare Trophy
Kohli arrives into the January 6 contest in strong touch, having delivered two commanding performances in his previous appearances in VHT for Delhi. He struck 131 in the opening game, followed by 77 in the second.
During the second match, Kohli also etched his name deeper into the record books by becoming the fastest batter to reach 16,000 List A runs, achieving the landmark in his 330th innings. The record previously belonged to Sachin Tendulkar, who had reached the milestone in 391 innings.
New Zealand Series Build-Up
A BCCI source told PTI that while the Indian ODI squad for the New Zealand series is scheduled to assemble in Vadodara by January 8, there is a possibility that Kohli could report a day earlier to begin training.
The three-match ODI series against New Zealand is set to commence in Vadodara on January 11.
Meanwhile, as per an earlier PTI report, Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah will be rested for the ODI series in line with a workload management plan devised by the BCCI’s sports science team. Both players are being preserved for India’s home ICC T20 World Cup, which begins on February 7.
(With PTI Inputs)
