Explained: Why Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma skipped today's VHT clashes
What's the story
Star Indian batters Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma sat out of their respective 2025/26 Vijay Hazare Trophy matches on December 29. Delhi took on Saurashtra at Karnataka Cricket Association (KSCA) Stadium in Alur, while Mumbai faced Chhattisgarh at Jaipuria Vidyalaya Ground in Jaipur. Kohli and Rohit, who have been in sublime form, played the first two matches after the BCCI mandated participation in domestic cricket.
Highlights
Performance in the tournament
Virat Kohli took his stellar form into the Vijay Hazare Trophy. The Delhi batter scored a quick-fire 77 off just 61 balls against Gujarat at Bengaluru's Centre of Excellence on Friday. His latest half-century marked his sixth successive 50-plus List A score. He scored a century in Delhi's opener in the ongoing tourney. Meanwhile, Rohit was dismissed for a golden duck in Mumbai's second round match against Uttarakhand. He smashed a 94-ball 155 against Sikkim.
Upcoming matches
Future participation in the tournament
According to Cricbuzz, Kohli is expected to feature in Delhi's match against Railways on January 6, their penultimate league-stage fixture. This will be before he joins the Indian team for the three-match ODI series against New Zealand at home, starting January 11. However, Rohit will not play any more games in this tournament. He will open with Shubman Gill in the New Zealand series.
Information
Participation in at least two matchesÂ
It is worth noting that the BCCI had mandated participation of senior players in at least two matches for the Vijay Hazare Trophy. Both Kohli and Rohit have retired from Test and T20I cricket, leaving ODIs their only active format.