Will Virat Kohli play Delhi’s Vijay Hazare Trophy match against Railways

Virat Kohli recently made a much-talked-about return to domestic cricket, coming back to play the Vijay Hazare Trophy after a long gap. The former India captain turned out for Delhi in the BCCI’s premier one-day competition and showed that class never fades. Kohli reminded fans why he remains one of the biggest names in Indian cricket as he smashed a century and a fifty to help Delhi win.

Kohli scored a superb 131 in the opening match and followed it up with a solid 77 in the second. His performances drew huge attention, with crowds turning up in large numbers just to watch him bat. Meanwhile, Kohli missed the next three games for Delhi, which currently occupy the first position in the Elite Group D table of VHT 2025-26 with four wins in five matches.

Will Kohli play for Delhi in next VHT game?

Delhi will play their next Vijay Hazare Trophy match against Railways on Tuesday, January 6, but the big question remains whether Kohli will feature in the game. Unfortunately, the answer for that is no. Delhi head coach Sarandeep Singh has confirmed that Kohli will not be available for the match, despite DDCA president Rohan Jaitley earlier saying otherwise.

Speaking to PTI a day before the game, Sarandeep Singh clearly stated that Kohli would miss the fixture, while captain Rishabh Pant and fast bowler Harshit Rana will continue to be available for selection. “Virat is not available. Pant and Harshit will be playing tomorrow,” said the former India spinner.

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Kohli, Pant and Harshit Rana have all been named in India’s squad for the upcoming three-match ODI series against New Zealand, which begins on January 11. While Kohli has played only two matches in this Vijay Hazare Trophy season, Pant has featured in every game for Delhi so far. Harshit Rana, on the other hand, has played just one match but remains in the squad for the Railways clash.

Jaitely had earlier mentioned that Kohli was expected to play three matches this season before joining the national team. However, it now appears that the Indian legend is content with playing just two games, the minimum requirement for selection in the national team imposed by the BCCI last season. Rohit Sharma also played two matches for Mumbai before leaving the squad.

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Both Kohli and Rohit are now set to rejoin the Indian team ahead of the ODI series against New Zealand, with matches scheduled in Vadodara, Rajkot and Indore. His return to the ODI setup is keenly awaited, especially after displaying an excellent run of form against South Africa.