Former Team India captain Virat Kohli’s return to domestic cricket for Delhi in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26 has attracted attention. After two impressive performances, the top batsman is expected to play one more match before turning his focus to India’s upcoming ODI series against New Zealand.
Kohli impressed in Delhi’s initial Vijay Hazare Trophy matches under Rishabh Pant. The right-handed batsman was named player of the match in the second game. For his two appearances in the ongoing 50-over domestic tournament, Kohli earned ₹1.30 lakh, with a match fee of ₹60,000 per game.
Virat Kohli shines with back-to-back match-winning performances for Delhi
Virat Kohli gave consistent match-winning performances for Delhi. The 37-year-old was in excellent form in his first two matches, scoring 208 runs at a high strike rate and once again proving his quality in List A cricket.
He scored a century against Andhra at the BCCI Center of Excellence in Bengaluru on 24 December. Chasing a challenging target of 299, Kohli played a brilliant inning of 131 runs in 101 balls. He became the fastest batsman to reach 16,000 runs in List A cricket as Delhi won by four wickets.
Two days later, Kohli produced another strong performance against Gujarat at the same venue. He completed his half-century in just 29 balls. The batsman scored 77 runs in 61 balls and also made an impact on the field by taking two important catches.
After scoring 254/9, Delhi bowled out Gujarat for 247 runs and registered a narrow win by seven runs. Kohli was named player of the match for his batting contribution.
Virat Kohli is ready to play another Vijay Hazare Trophy match for Delhi
According to Times of India, despite Virat Kohli’s busy schedule, he is expected to play at least once more for Delhi in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. Before joining the Indian team for the upcoming ODI series against New Zealand, he is set to play Delhi’s match against Railways on January 6, 2026.
Apart from domestic cricket, Kohli is also in excellent form in international cricket. He has recently scored two centuries at the international level against South Africa.
Overall, Kohli has recorded six scores of 50 or more in recent matches, four of which have come for India and two for Delhi in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. The right-handed batsman has been showing strong consistency despite limited match time after retiring from two formats.
Virat Kohli’s excellent form continues in 50 over cricket
Questions were raised over Virat Kohli’s place in India’s plans for the 2027 ODI World Cup, but the senior batsman has answered with his performances in recent matches.
Kohli was the leading run-scorer in the recently concluded home ODI series against South Africa. He scored 302 runs in three matches at an average of 151 and a strike rate of 117.05, including two centuries and an unbeaten half-century, with his highest score being 135.
Kohli has also returned to domestic cricket, using the Vijay Hazare Trophy as preparation before India’s next ODI. These matches have helped them to be match-ready for the upcoming three-match home series against New Zealand.
The Indian selectors have not yet announced the official ODI team. However, both Kohli and Rohit Sharma are expected to retain their places after recent strong performances for both the country and state. The ODI series against New Zealand will start from January 11 in Vadodara.
