Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma skip Vijay Hazare Trophy third round after fulfilling commitments
India batting stalwarts Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma did not feature for Delhi and Mumbai, respectively, in the third round of the Vijay Hazare Trophy on Monday, after completing their originally scheduled commitments of two matches each. Both players are now expected to join the national camp ahead of the ODI series against New Zealand, which begins on January 11 in Vadodara.
Kohli and Rohit fulfill two-match commitment
Both Kohli and Rohit were scheduled to play only two matches in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, and they have now fulfilled those commitments. Kohli represented Delhi in the first two rounds, while Rohit turned out for Mumbai in their opening fixtures.
On Monday, Delhi faced Saurashtra at the Karnataka Cricket Association (KSCA) Stadium in Alur, while Mumbai took on Chhattisgarh at the Jaipuria Vidyalaya Ground in Jaipur—both without their star players.
According to a report by Cricbuzz, Kohli is expected to play one more match for Delhi—against Railways on January 6—before joining the national camp. However, Rohit will not play any further part in the competition for Mumbai.
Impressive returns for both veterans
Both batters made significant contributions during their brief Vijay Hazare Trophy stints, showcasing their class and hunger for runs ahead of the New Zealand series.
Virat Kohli was in scintillating form, scoring 131 and 77 in his two matches for Delhi, reminding everyone of his ability to dominate domestic bowling attacks even at this stage of his career.
Rohit Sharma began with a bang, smashing a massive 155 in Mumbai’s opening match before falling for a golden duck against Uttarakhand in the second game. Despite the rare failure, Rohit’s century underlined his intent to regain form and rhythm in the 50-over format.
Focus shifts to New Zealand ODI series
With their domestic commitments largely completed, both Kohli and Rohit will now turn their attention to the three-match ODI series against New Zealand, which is part of India’s preparations for the 2027 ODI World Cup.
The series will be played in Vadodara (January 11), Rajkot (January 14), and Indore (January 18), and both senior players are expected to play key roles as India look to solidify their middle order and leadership ahead of major tournaments.
Bumrah and Pandya likely to skip ODIs
Meanwhile, a separate Cricbuzz report suggests that Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya are likely to be rested for the New Zealand ODI series, with more important assignments in mind—particularly the 2026 T20 World Cup.
However, both players are expected to feature in the five-match T20I series against New Zealand, which will be India’s final T20I assignment before the World Cup. The T20I series will provide crucial match practice for Bumrah and Pandya as they fine-tune their preparations.
Bumrah has not played an ODI since the 2023 World Cup final, while Pandya has been absent from the 50-over format since the Champions Trophy final in March 2025.