Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma barely break a sweat, smash centuries on Vijay Hazare Trophy return to make telling statement
Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma wasted little time reminding the BCCI and selectors of their enduring ODI pedigree with commanding Vijay Hazare tons
As batters dominated the opening day of the 2025/26 Vijay Hazare Trophy, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma made a headline-grabbing return to India’s premier domestic List A tournament on Wednesday. Featuring in their respective group-stage matches, the senior duo turned what could have been routine fixtures into clear statements of intent. Rohit smashed an emphatic 155, while Kohli brought up a commanding century, wasting little time in reminding the BCCI and selectors of their enduring ODI pedigree.
Following the BCCI’s firm mandate on domestic cricket participation, Kohli and Rohit’s return to the Vijay Hazare Trophy carried added significance. For the selectors and team management, it was not just about compliance, but also about intent - a willingness to remain in the reckoning for the 2027 ODI World Cup while ensuring match fitness and rhythm away from international duty, especially with both veterans now active only in the 50-over format.
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Playing his first List A domestic match since 2018, Rohit lit up a packed Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur as he anchored Mumbai’s 237-run chase against Sikkim almost single-handedly. The former India captain smashed a blazing 94-ball 155*, powering Mumbai to victory with 19.3 overs to spare and eight wickets in hand.
The innings marked Rohit’s 37th List A century, brought up in just 62 balls, the fastest he has ever reached triple figures in his career. While the attack lacked bite, the knock was rich in intent and aggression. It was also Rohit’s first List A hundred for Mumbai since his debut season in 2008. The 38-year-old went on to convert it into a daddy hundred, registering his first 150-plus List A score in six years, since his 159 against West Indies in 2019.
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Kohli was in action against Andhra Pradesh at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru. The fixture, originally scheduled to be played in Alur before being shifted to the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, was eventually moved to the CoE ground. Unlike Rohit’s crowd-filled outing in Jaipur, Kohli’s century came behind closed doors, with no spectators present at the venue.
Playing his first Vijay Hazare Trophy match since 2010, the India No. 3 brought up his century off 84 balls as Delhi chased a target of 299. It was his 58th ton in List A cricket and third in the format in the last four innings, which includes the recent ODI series against South Africa.
Along the way, Kohli stitched together two century partnerships, a 113-run stand with opener Priyansh Arya and an unbeaten 140-run alliance for the third wicket with Nitish Rana.
The innings, laced with 12 fours and three sixes, also saw Kohli surpass Sachin Tendulkar to become the fastest batter to 16,000 runs in men’s List A cricket. He reached the milestone in his 330th innings, 61 fewer than his childhood idol.
Kohli was eventually dismissed for 131, after which Delhi briefly stumbled, losing four wickets for just 18 runs in 18 deliveries. However, with Kohli having anchored the innings, Delhi steadied to scrape past the target, finishing with two wickets in hand and 13.2 overs to spare.
