Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli in Vijay Hazare Trophy: Whether former Indian captain Rohit Sharma and legendary batsman Virat Kohli will be able to participate in the 2027 ODI World Cup remains a major question. Meanwhile, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has clearly stated to both players that if they wish to remain in the ODI team, they will have to participate in domestic ODI tournaments. It's worth noting that Rohit and Kohli have already retired from T20 and Test cricket.
Following this order, both veteran players are expected to play in the Vijay Hazare Trophy (VHT), which begins on December 24th. This match is the only ODI in the domestic calendar, between the ODI series against South Africa, scheduled from December 3rd to 9th, and the New Zealand series, which begins on January 11th. According to reports, Rohit Sharma has informed the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) that he will be available for the Vijay Hazare Trophy. However, there is currently no clarity on Virat Kohli's availability.
“The board and team management have conveyed to both of them that they will have to play domestic cricket if they want to play for India. As they both have retired from two formats, they have to play domestic cricket to be match-fit,” a BCCI source said.
The report also states that Rohit told the Mumbai Cricket Association that he would be ready for the VHT campaign and despite retiring from T20 Internationals, he also offered his services for the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, which begins on November 26.
Rohit Sharma comeback to this tournament will be after 7 years. In his last game at the Vijay Hazare Trophy, he was only able to score 17 runs off 24 balls. This time, it will be intense for the fans to see how he performs for the team, in his return to the tournament.
In contrast, there is still no clarity on Kohli's participation. Sources say the Delhi & District Cricket Association (DDCA) has yet to receive official communication from the star batsman, leading to speculation about his state team and fans. Still, it remains necessary even for Virat Kohli to mark his comeback to the tournament. When he last played, it was back in 2010, when he was also the captain of the team. Since then, it has been almost 15 years since Virat Kohli has played for Delhi in the 50-over format.
The selectors, led by Ajit Agarkar, have clarified that this rule is non-negotiable for all players, regardless of their status. "We have made it clear that if guys are free they should be playing domestic cricket,” Agarkar said.
Rohit and Kohli returned to the Indian team during the ODI series against Australia. Rohit scored a century and a half-century, earning the Player of the Series award. Kohli was dismissed twice for ducks but returned in the final match, scoring an unbeaten 87 and sharing a 168-run partnership to help India win the third ODI.
