- August 13, 2025
Virat Kohli conjures full stadiums, world titles, and record-breaking centuries that become viral— not an inconsequential domestic One-Day game in Gurgaon! Before we get to when we will expect him in the 2025-26 Vijay Hazare Trophy, which is hopping sometime later this year, Kohli last stepped foot upon India’s premier List A tournament in 2010. Yep, that is when smartphones still had keys and Dhoni hadn’t yet chopped his long locks! Let’s go back to that day, what happened on that day, and what is such an odd blip in the narrative of something we can only describe as an incredible career.
The Match That Time Forgot
It was February 2010. Delhi was up against Services in a North Zone clash at Gurgaon. Kohli, already a rising star in Indian cricket, walked in at number five—not his usual top-order slot—and scored a rapid 16 off just eight balls. Quickfire cameos aren’t exactly the stuff of Kohli’s ODI legend, but here’s the kicker: he even rolled his arm over for an over, conceding just five runs. Delhi posted 311/6; the bowlers did their job, and they cruised to victory.
During that season, Kohli played a total of five matches in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, scoring 229 runs at an average of 45.80, which included two fifties. Respectable numbers for sure, yet not the unfathomable numbers that we are so used to seeing. All in all, when placed against the backdrop of Kohli’s overall career, I think that season’s matches were only a pause before engaging back in international cricket at a level that is slightly higher than nearly everyone else.
Why Kohli and Domestic Cricket Rarely Cross Paths
For the past decade-plus, Kohli’s schedule has been like a never-ending festival—international matches, IPL, and the occasional charity game. Domestic cricket? Not so much. It’s not about avoiding it; it’s just that national duties have always taken priority.
The Vijay Hazare Trophy has a schedule that coincides with India overlapped with India’s international commitments, so it is almost impossible for established players to participate. This is true for the 2025-26 edition, where Kohli may not even be able to play every game because India will be occupied with Schedule ODI matches with South Africa, New Zealand, and Afghanistan.
If he is back this season, it would be important not just for the fans but for the tournament, as there are not many global superstars in the playing XI.
The Stakes in 2025-26
Talk of Kohli turning out for the Vijay Hazare Trophy hasn’t picked up steam. It’s because of his ODI future. The 2027 World Cup is four years away. He has already retired from Test and T20I cricket, and selectors want him to have some more 50-over games. Domestic one-day cricket is the ideal preparation.
However, there is a wrinkle. Even if Kohli agrees to play, the clash in scheduling means he won’t have a whole season. As such, the 2025-26 edition could be a strange hybrid: Kohli playing a few games to stay in the rhythm, then going off to play for his country, leaving fans and his Delhi mates similarly wondering “what if” – a bittersweet experience!
Should he make it back for the 2025-26 edition, it won’t be just nostalgia; it will mean something – that domestic cricket can still keep even the biggest stars in sharp shape. And who knows, he might just give us a knock that can match his best days in ODIs.
