Will Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli play Vijay Hazare Trophy?
What's the story
Veteran Indian batters Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are likely to participate in the upcoming 2025/26 Vijay Hazare Trophy. The tournament is scheduled to begin on December 24, with Mumbai and Delhi being the two teams that will feature these players. A PTI report has quoted a BCCI source as saying that both players are expected to play at least three rounds of this domestic competition before joining their respective national squads for international matches.
Context
Why does this story matter?
Both Rohit and Kohli have retired from T20I and Tests, with One-Day Internationals being their only active format. Although the two were picked for the impending ODI series in Australia, they are expected to play domestic cricket to stay in touch with the limited 50-over matches. Both Rohit and Kohli are vying for the next ODI World Cup spot, but the tournament is still nearly two years ahead.
Match schedule
Rohit and Kohli's teams and fixtures in VHT
The 2025/26 Vijay Hazare Trophy will feature seven rounds of matches from December 24 to January 8. Mumbai will play against Sikkim on December 24, Uttarakhand on December 26, Chhattisgarh on December 29, Goa on December 31, Maharashtra on January 3, Himachal Pradesh on January 6, and Punjab on January 8. Meanwhile, Delhi will take on Andhra (December 24), Gujarat (December 26), Saurashtra (December 29), Odisha (December 31), Services (January 3), Railways (January 6), and Haryana (January 8).
Past performances
Last appearance; incredible records
According to Wisden, Rohit's last appearance in the Vijay Hazare Trophy was during the 2018/19 season. On the other hand, Kohli last played the tournament back in 2010. Both Rohit and Kohli have exceptional records in ODI cricket. One of the greatest openers, Rohit has scored 11,168 runs at 48.76, with 32 tons and a record three double-tons to his name. Meanwhile, Kohli has the third-most runs (14,181) in ODI history. He is the only player with 50-plus ODI tons.