Virat Kohli has confirmed his participation in the Vijay Hazare Trophy after a span of 15 years, notifying his availability to Delhi:

Putting an end to all speculation, Virat Kohli, the paramount star of Indian cricket in this era, has declared his availability to the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) for the forthcoming Vijay Hazare Trophy. DDCA president Rohan Jaitley verified this news to our website on Tuesday evening. The prestigious domestic 50-over tournament is set to kick off on December 24, with Delhi initiating its campaign on the opening day against Andhra Pradesh. "He has confirmed to us that he will be available for the Vijay Hazare Trophy. We are eager to have him with us," Jaitley stated to the Hindustan Times website.

This confirmation dispels rumours about Kohli's intent to disregard the wishes of the Indian team management. It is now widely recognized that the current leadership team, led by head coach Gautam Gambhir and BCCI chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar, desires both Kohli and Rohit Sharma to participate in the Vijay Hazare Trophy to gain crucial gameplay experience ahead of the challenges of international cricket as they prepare for the World Cup 2027.

Since their return to international play in October 2025 against Australia, discussions around Kohli and Rohit's future have become increasingly prevalent. Within cricketing circles, enthusiasm about the upcoming World Cup lingers: will they be able to join the tour to South Africa, Namibia, and Zimbabwe? Just prior to the Australian series, various reports suggested that the duo would be encouraged to participate in the Vijay Hazare Trophy if they wished to realize their ambitions of being part of the African expedition. No representatives from management confirmed their inclusion for the World Cup, indicating that the tournament is still “two years away.” The decision to strip Rohit of the captaincy and appoint Shubman Gill in ODIs clearly caused some unrest within the management.