Vijay Hazare Trophy Live Streaming: As the opening round of the Vijay Hazare Trophy gets underway, two of Indian cricket’s biggest names- Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli– are back in domestic colours. Yet, even as Mumbai and Delhi begin their campaigns, fans tuning in from home are left with an unusual frustration: there is no live telecast or streaming of either match.
Vijay Hazare Trophy begins, but spotlight matches stay off screen
Rohit Sharma is leading Mumbai against Sikkim in Jaipur, while Virat Kohli is turning out for Delhi against Andhra Pradesh in Bengaluru- his first appearance in the Vijay Hazare Trophy in 15 years. Ordinarily, such returns would dominate broadcast schedules. Instead, both fixtures are unfolding away from television cameras, despite the presence of multiple India regulars including Rishabh Pant.
The absence of coverage has little to do with star power and everything to do with scale. The Vijay Hazare Trophy’s opening day features all 38 teams in action, resulting in 19 matches starting simultaneously across the country. With limited broadcast infrastructure, the BCCI has been unable to beam every game live, a recurring issue across India’s domestic season.
Why Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli matches are not being live-streamed
At present, the BCCI has permanent, full-scale broadcast facilities at only two venues- the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad and the Niranjan Shah Stadium in Rajkot. Matches outside these centres are typically dependent on additional logistical arrangements, which become difficult during high-volume rounds such as the Vijay Hazare Trophy group stage.
This is why neither Mumbai’s fixture in Jaipur nor Delhi’s match at the Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru is available to watch live. The situation mirrors what is often seen during the Ranji Trophy and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, where early-round games frequently go untelevised.
Delhi’s Ranji Trophy matches was live streamed after a late intervention
.Earlier this year, Delhi’s Ranji Trophy match against Railways was not scheduled for broadcast until Kohli confirmed his availability. The match was subsequently live-streamed following a late intervention. However, a similar arrangement could not happen in time for these fixtures.
What is confirmed is that all knockout matches of the Vijay Hazare Trophy will be played at the CoE and will be telecast, as the venue is fully equipped for broadcasting.
For now, Rohit Sharma’s supporters at least have the option of watching him in person in Jaipur. Delhi’s clash, meanwhile, is being played behind closed doors after being shifted from the M Chinnaswamy Stadium- ensuring that Virat Kohli’s long-awaited Vijay Hazare Trophy return remains one that most fans can only follow through score updates.
