Indian cricket stalwarts Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma will not feature in the fourth round of the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy, scheduled to be played on Wednesday. Mumbai are set to face Goa at the Jaipuria Vidyalaya Ground in Jaipur, while Delhi will take on Odisha at the KSCA Cricket Ground in Alur.
Both senior batters had participated in the opening two rounds of the domestic one-day tournament but were rested in the previous round. They will now miss another match as India shift focus towards the upcoming home ODI series against New Zealand.
Rohit Sharma’s Domestic Campaign Comes to an End
Rohit Sharma’s stint in the Vijay Hazare Trophy has officially concluded. The Mumbai batter had earlier planned to play only two matches in the competition and has adhered to that schedule. With the three-match ODI series against New Zealand beginning on January 11, Rohit will not take part in any further domestic fixtures.
The Former Indian captain’s workload is being carefully managed ahead of a packed international calendar.
Virat Kohli to Return for One More Match
Unlike Rohit, Virat Kohli is set to make one final appearance for Delhi in the tournament. Kohli will play Delhi’s Vijay Hazare Trophy clash against Railways on January 6 at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru.
Delhi and Districts Cricket Association President Rohan Jaitley confirmed Kohli’s availability for the fixture.
“As of now, he is playing. Virat have given his availability for three games,” Jaitley told PTI.
The BCCI mandates that centrally contracted players must feature in at least two Vijay Hazare Trophy matches. Kohli has opted to play a third game as part of his preparation for the New Zealand ODI series.
Kohli’s Impressive Return to Domestic Cricket
Kohli made a strong impact in his first two outings for Delhi, scoring 131 and 77. During those innings, he also etched his name into the record books by becoming the fastest batter to reach 16,000 List A runs.
The former India captain achieved the milestone in just his 330th innings, surpassing Sachin Tendulkar, who had taken 391 innings to reach the landmark.
India’s New Zealand ODI Series Preparations
According to a BCCI source, members of the Indian ODI squad are expected to assemble in Vadodara by January 8. Kohli could potentially join the squad a day earlier to begin preparations.
The three-match ODI series against New Zealand will get underway at the same venue on January 11.
Bumrah, Hardik to Miss ODIs
As previously reported by PTI, star all-rounder Hardik Pandya and premier fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah will be rested for the New Zealand ODIs due to workload management protocols recommended by the BCCI’s sports science team.
Both players remain key figures in India’s plans for the home T20 World Cup, which begins on February 7.
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