Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are set to make a much-anticipated return to domestic cricket on Wednesday, December 24, featuring in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. With the BCCI mandating centrally contracted players to participate in domestic matches, fans now get a rare opportunity to watch India’s top stars up close.
Kohli will don the Delhi jersey under Ayush Badoni to face Andhra Pradesh at the BCCI Centre of Excellence, after the match was shifted from the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. Rohit, meanwhile, will represent Mumbai under Shardul Thakur against Sikkim at Jaipur’s Sawai Mansingh Stadium.
Both arrive in strong ODI form but will need to adjust to domestic conditions, including an early 9:30 am start that could test even the best top-order batters.
Between the two, it is Kohli who last played in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, over a decade and a half ago. Since then, the cricketing world has changed dramatically.
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Ahead of their return, here are some fascinating facts from the era before Kohli’s last VHT appearance.
- Double centuries in men’s ODIs had not yet been scored. On February 24, 2010, Sachin Tendulkar became the first man to score a double hundred in ODIs, against South Africa in Gwalior.
- Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings had not won an IPL title. Since then, both teams have won five titles each, making them the most successful in IPL history.
- India’s chief selector Ajit Agarkar was still an active cricketer. He retired from all forms of cricket in October 2013.
- Shahid Afridi’s 37-ball century in 1996 remained the fastest ODI century for 14 years. It was later surpassed by Corey Anderson (2014) and AB de Villiers (2015), dropping Afridi to third.
- Vaibhav Suryavanshi had not yet been born. He is now a prolific performer in the IPL and other tournaments, born on March 27, 2011.
- Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma were yet to make their Test debuts. 15 years later, both have retired from Test cricket as well.
WHEN WAS KOHLI’S LAST VHT APPEARANCE?
Virat Kohli’s Vijay Hazare Trophy career remains a key chapter in his rise through Indian cricket. Representing Delhi, Kohli stamped his authority in the 2008–09 season, producing a sensational run that yielded 534 runs from seven matches at a staggering average of 117, with a strike rate of 87.31.
Also Read: Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant begin training ahead of Delhi’s Vijay Hazare Trophy opener
That season showcased his appetite for big scores, highlighted by hundreds against Punjab (119*), Haryana (124) and Railways (114), underlining his ability to dominate domestic attacks across conditions.
The following season, 2009-10, marked Kohli’s final appearance in the Vijay Hazare Trophy and also saw him lead Delhi as captain. While not as prolific, he still scored 229 runs in five matches at an average of 45.8 and an impressive strike rate of 102.23.
His last match came against Services on February 18, 2010, in Gurgaon, where he made a brisk 16 off eight balls as Delhi posted 311. Delhi won the match by 113 runs, though they failed to progress further. Even then, Kohli’s Vijay Hazare record had already hinted at a batter destined for the highest level.
Delhi’s schedule in Vijay Hazare Trophy
- Wed, Dec 24, 2025: Delhi vs Andhra Bengaluru, BCCI Centre of Excellence Ground 1 9:00 AM
- Fri, Dec 26, 2025: Delhi vs Gujarat Bengaluru, M.Chinnaswamy Stadium 9:00 AM
- Mon, Dec 29, 2025: Delhi vs Saurashtra Alur, KSCA Cricket (2) Ground 9:00 AM
- Wed, Dec 31, 2025: Delhi vs Odisha Alur, KSCA Cricket (3) Ground 9:00 AM
- Sat, Jan 3, 2026: Delhi vs Services Bengaluru, M.Chinnaswamy Stadium 9:00 AM
- Tue, Jan 6, 2026: Delhi vs Railways Alur, KSCA Cricket (2) Ground 9:00 AM
- Thu, Jan 8, 2026: Delhi vs Haryana Bengaluru, M.Chinnaswamy Stadium 9:00 AM
WHEN WAS ROHIT SHARMA’S LAST?
Rohit Sharma’s Vijay Hazare Trophy career, though intermittent, reflects solid returns whenever he has featured. In 24 innings in the tournament, Rohit has scored 823 runs at an average of 37.40, including one century and five fifties.
His appearances have been spread across phases of his career – debuting in 2007, the same year he made his India debut, followed by stints in 2013, 2017 and most recently in the 2018–19 season.
Rohit’s last outing in the Vijay Hazare Trophy came in October 2018, when he turned out for Mumbai in the quarter-final and semi-final. He struck an unbeaten 33 off 42 balls against Bihar before managing 17 against Hyderabad in the semi-final at Bengaluru.
Mumbai went on to lift the title, though Rohit missed the final due to national duties. In two matches that season, he scored 50 runs at an average of 50 and a strike rate of 75.75.
The upcoming season will mark Rohit’s return to domestic one-day cricket after six years, as he looks to regain rhythm and stay match-fit.
Mumbai’s schedule in Vijay Hazare Trophy
- Wed, Dec 24 2025 – Mumbai vs Sikkim, Jaipur, Sawai Mansingh Stadium, 9:00 AM IST
- Fri, Dec 26 2025 – Mumbai vs Uttarakhand, Jaipur, Sawai Mansingh Stadium, 9:00 AM IST
- Mon, Dec 29 2025 – Chhattisgarh vs Mumbai, Jaipur, Jaipuria Vidyalaya Ground, 9:00 AM IST
- Wed, Dec 31 2025 – Goa vs Mumbai, Jaipur, Jaipuria Vidyalaya Ground, 9:00 AM IST
- Sat, Jan 3 2026 – Maharashtra vs Mumbai, Jaipur, Sawai Mansingh Stadium, 9:00 AM IST
- Tue, Jan 6 2026 – Himachal Pradesh vs Mumbai, Jaipur, Jaipuria Vidyalaya Ground, 9:00 AM IST
- Thu, Jan 8 2026 – Mumbai vs Punjab, Jaipur, Jaipuria Vidyalaya Ground, 9:00 AM IST
– Ends
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