Virat Kohli has decided to extend his return to domestic cricket by one more match, while Rohit Sharma has concluded his Vijay Hazare Trophy commitments ahead of India’s upcoming ODI series against New Zealand.
Kohli extends domestic return ahead of New Zealand ODIs
Kohli, who made a sensational comeback to the Vijay Hazare Trophy after more than 15 years, will turn out for Delhi in their penultimate league-stage match against Railways on January 6 at the KSCA ground in Alur, Bengaluru. Delhi & District Cricket Association (DDCA) President Rohan Jaitley confirmed the development, indicating that the senior batter has made himself available for a third game this season.
The former India captain has been in fine form in his first two appearances for Delhi, scoring a match-winning 131 against Andhra followed by a solid 77 against Gujarat at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence. Kohli had skipped Delhi’s third league match against Saurashtra but is now set for one final domestic outing before linking up with the Indian squad.
India’s ODI squad for the three-match home series against New Zealand is scheduled to assemble in early January, with the series set to begin on January 11.
Rohit finishes Vijay Hazare duties, turns focus to ODIs
Rohit, meanwhile, has completed his domestic duties for the season. The India captain returned to the Vijay Hazare Trophy for the first time since 2018, scoring a century in Mumbai’s opening game before being dismissed for a duck in the second.
The Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) has confirmed that Rohit will not feature in any further Vijay Hazare matches this season. With his domestic stint done, Rohit will now shift focus entirely to the ODI series against New Zealand, scheduled from January 11 to 18.
The MCA, however, did not provide clarity on the return of Shreyas Iyer, who has been sidelined since October with an abdominal injury. Reports suggest he could feature in Mumbai’s January 3 match against Maharashtra before joining the Indian squad.