Veteran batters Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma face an uphill task to retain their places in the Indian ODI side ever since they retired from Test cricket in May this year. That decision meant that the Indian team was in full transition mode, with Rohit and Virat only playing one format in international cricket.

With the duo keen on being key members of the Indian side for the 2027 ODI World Cup, a lack of match practice on the way to the quadrennial championship has become a major concern.  

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) apparently wants both Kohli and Rohit to compete in India's premier domestic one-day game, the Vijay Hazare Trophy, in order to remain in contention for the World Cup.

While Rohit had apparently hinted at his desire to return to domestic cricket, Kohli has also agreed, according to reports.

The Ajit Agarkar-led BCCI selection committee is reportedly ready to pounce on any failure by Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, either in terms of fitness or form, in a bid to find a reason to push them out of the team. But the two legends of the game, aware of the stakes, are more than willing to fight.

According to a Times of India report, head selector Ajit Agarkar has previously stated that the selectors will act sternly if either Kohli or Rohit does not play in the domestic circuit.

Rohit conveyed his wish and spoke with the Mumbai Cricket Association a few weeks back, and Kohli is now apparently aiming to play for Delhi in their Bengaluru games during the next Vijay Hazare Trophy campaign.

“While Rohit is likely to turn up for Mumbai, it is understood that Virat plans to play some Vijay Hazare Trophy games for Delhi in Bengaluru," the TOI report read.

Kohli is scheduled to fly back to London once the ODI series against South Africa ends, but he is expected to return to Bengaluru later and join the Delhi squad for a few matches. 

“Before that, though, Virat is likely to fly back to London after the culmination of the three ODIs vs South Africa, but could well link up with the Delhi team in Bengaluru. There hasn’t been any communication with the DDCA in this regard, but India’s No. 3 had more or less sorted his schedule for the rest of the year in Australia itself. There could be an alteration to this plan according to the team’s schedule for the New Zealand ODIs, starting January 11, but Virat could turn up for a few games of VHT, starting December 24," the report added.

Virat has played 13 matches in VHT for Delhi from 2008 to 2010 and amassed a total of 819 runs. His batting average in the premier 50-over domestic tournament is 68.25, and he has scored runs with a strike rate of 106.08.

The 2025-26 edition of the Vijay Hazare Trophy will be played from December 24 to January 18.