Virat Kohli’s return to the Vijay Hazare Trophy is not just a scheduling footnote- it brings back one of the most prolific one-day batters the tournament has seen, even if his appearances have been limited. As the 2025-26 season approaches, Kohli’s domestic comeback after nearly 15 years puts the spotlight firmly on his numbers in India’s premier 50-over competition.
Virat Kohli and the Vijay Hazare Trophy: a rare but rich record
Kohli last featured in the Vijay Hazare Trophy in 2010, but his impact across those early years remains striking. Representing Delhi, he played 17 matches and batted in 16 innings, amassing 910 runs at an outstanding average of 60.66. His consistency stood out even in a competitive domestic circuit, with four centuries and four half-centuries highlighting his appetite for big scores. A highest score of 124 underlined his ability to convert starts- a trait that later became a hallmark of his international ODI career.
List A milestones add extra context
Beyond the Vijay Hazare Trophy itself, Kohli’s return carries wider statistical significance. He enters the tournament just one run shy of 16,000 List A runs, a landmark previously achieved among Indians only by Sachin Tendulkar. Across 342 List A matches, Kohli has scored 15,999 runs at an average of 57.34, complemented by 57 hundreds and 84 fifties- numbers that underline his dominance in the 50-over format across levels.
Why the Vijay Hazare Trophy matters now
For Kohli, the Vijay Hazare Trophy serves as competitive match practice ahead of India’s ODI series against New Zealand starting January 11. Coming off a strong run in ODIs, with four consecutive fifty-plus scores, the tournament offers rhythm rather than reinvention. Still, his presence elevates the domestic stage, turning routine fixtures into high-attention contests- a reminder of how Virat Kohli and the Vijay Hazare Trophy intersect, even if only briefly, in Indian cricket’s longer narrative.