The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has refuted rumors that senior players Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli were compelled to play in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. The duo, retired from Test and T20I cricket, will represent their state teams in the tournament starting December 24. This comes after their impressive showings in the recent ODI series against South Africa.
New Delhi, December 8, 2025. Discussions about the future of senior players Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in Indian cricket are intensifying. Both have retired from T20 internationals and Tests, focusing solely on ODIs. India recently won the three-match ODI series against South Africa 2-1, with Kohli scoring 302 runs at an average of 151, including two centuries and a half-century. Rohit contributed 146 runs at an average of 48.66, with two half-centuries. During this series, Rohit crossed the 20,000 international runs milestone in the third ODI in Vizag, becoming the fourth Indian to achieve it.
Ahead of the three-match ODI series against New Zealand in January, both will play in the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26 for their domestic teams. Kohli for Delhi and Rohit for Mumbai. Kohli informed the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA), confirmed by president Rohan Jaitley. They also played Ranji Trophy in January this year but retired from Tests in May before the England tour.
After the Border-Gavaskar Trophy loss, BCCI made domestic cricket mandatory for central contract players, sparking rumors that the duo was forced to play to aim for the 2027 ODI World Cup. However, a BCCI official clarified, "They themselves decided, it's their own decision." Team head coach Gautam Gambhir stated, "Both are world-class players and their experience is very important for the team. We hope they continue such performances." Gambhir emphasized focusing on the present and giving opportunities to young players. This move signals their intent to maintain form and contribute to the team.