Virat Kohli, ace batter, will play for Delhi in their sixth Elite Group D match of the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26 against the Railways at the BCCI Centre of Excellence (COE) in Bengaluru on January 6.

This was confirmed by Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) President Rohan Jaitley on Monday (December 29).

Virat Kohli played well in the two games he has played for Delhi till now. He produced 77 runs off 61 balls against Gujarat in Delhi's 7-run victory on Friday, December 26, after scoring 131 runs against Andhra Pradesh in the run chase of 299 on December 24.

All centrally contracted players were required by the BCCI to participate in at least two Vijay Hazare games, but Kohli wants to play a third one as he prepares for this month's home series against New Zealand.

“He has communicated to us that he will be available for three games, so for now, he is set to play the fixture against Railways. We are very hopeful,” Rohan Jaitley, the president of the Delhi & District Cricket Association (DDCA), told Sportstar.

Virat Kohli had left his kits behind with the Delhi team in the hotel before going to London and is expected to link up with the team a day or two before the game in Bengaluru.

Although the Indian ODI team for the New Zealand series is expected to gather in Vadodara by January 8, a BCCI source informed PTI that Kohli may arrive and train one day early. On January 11, the three-match ODI series against the Black Caps will start at the same location.