Kohli Ready to Take the Field in Vijay Hazare Trophy
Kohli is set to participate in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, India’s premier domestic one-day competition. He has signaled his availability to the Delhi squad, a development confirmed to Cricbuzz by the Delhi District Cricket Association (DDCA).
“Yes, that’s correct. He has made himself available,” DDCA president Rohan Jaitley told Cricbuzz on Tuesday evening. While he’s not expected to play every match, Kohli’s decision marks a notable pivot in his approach to domestic cricket. The Vijay Hazare Trophy is scheduled from December 24 to January 18.
This move suggests a shift in Kohli’s stance on balancing international duties with domestic cricket. After his post-match remarks in Ranchi, many interpreted his comments as pushing back against the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) policy that international players should participate in domestic events when not on India duty.
During that post-match presentation after the first ODI, Kohli had stated, “I’ve never been a big believer in heavy preparation. My cricket is largely mental. As long as I feel mentally ready to play, I work physically very hard every day. It’s not about cricket anymore. It’s how I live.” Those remarks were widely viewed as a challenge to the BCCI’s expectations.
Kohli’s last Vijay Hazare Trophy appearance was the 2009/10 edition, held in February–March 2010. His most recent game in the tournament came on February 18, 2010, just before India’s home series against South Africa where Sachin Tendulkar registered the first ODI double century.
Historically, Kohli has played 14 Vijay Hazare Trophy matches, amassing 819 runs at an average of 68.25 with a strike rate of 106.08, including four centuries and three half-centuries. This year, Delhi is drawn into Group D with Gujarat, Services, Saurashtra, Odisha, Railways, Haryana, and Andhra. Delhi’s opener is against Andhra in Alur.
The BCCI’s domestic cricket framework has been heavily influenced by head coach Gautam Gambhir and chief selector Ajit Agarkar, both of whom have argued that international players should support their state teams during India duties. Under this policy, Rohit Sharma, Kohli, and several others played Ranji Trophy last season.
With Rohit and Kohli recently stepping away from Test cricket, Agarkar has indicated that they will be obliged to participate in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. Rohit has reportedly informed the Mumbai Cricket Association that he will play in the VHT.
No Meeting on Review
Separately, the long-anticipated review meeting did not occur on Tuesday. Reports suggested that the BCCI planned to convene with selectors, team management, and senior players to address communications concerns in Raipur ahead of the second ODI on December 3.
There was, however, no sign of such a gathering. Notably, Ajit Agarkar, who had been in Ahmedabad monitoring Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy fixtures, departed the city without traveling to Raipur. A selection committee meeting could still occur on Wednesday, ahead of the scheduled T20I squad announcement.
As Cricbuzz recently noted, Jasprit Bumrah is expected to be recalled for the T20Is, alongside Hardik Pandya, who demonstrated solid form in an SMAT match against Punjab in Hyderabad on Tuesday. One unresolved issue remains Shubman Gill’s availability, with sources suggesting the India captain is in the process of recovering from a neck injury.
India’s schedule features five T20Is against South Africa from December 9 to 19, following the third ODI in Visakhapatnam on December 6.
