Indian sport woke up to a headline-heavy morning as domestic cricket, women’s leagues and the national setup delivered key developments with long-term impact. From Virat Kohli missing another Vijay Hazare Trophy match for Delhi to Women’s Premier League teams scrambling for replacements, and from Shreyas Iyer’s delayed comeback to Harmanpreet Kaur sealing a historic whitewash, the news cycle reflected transition, pressure and performance.
Why Virat Kohli Is Missing the Vijay Hazare Clash
Delhi’s Elite Group D encounter against Odisha at the KSCA Ground in Alur carried high stakes, but the spotlight once again fell on Virat Kohli’s absence. After playing the first two matches of the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025–26 and scoring a commanding hundred followed by a fluent fifty, Kohli returned to Mumbai due to scheduling commitments.
Rishabh Pant continues to captain Delhi, who still boast a formidable lineup featuring Nitish Rana, Ishant Sharma and Navdeep Saini. Delhi have already won without Kohli in the XI, underlining their squad depth, but his presence remains crucial as the knockouts approach.
When Will Kohli Play Next for Delhi?
Kohli is expected to return for Delhi’s clash against Railways on January 6, 2026, just before India begin their ODI series against New Zealand. Fresh off twin centuries against South Africa and six 50-plus scores this season, his workload management reflects India’s broader white-ball priorities.
WPL Hit by Late Withdrawals
The Women’s Premier League suffered a jolt as Australian stars Ellyse Perry and Annabel Sutherland withdrew from the upcoming season citing personal reasons. Royal Challengers Bengaluru have named Indian all-rounder Sayali Satghare as Perry’s replacement, while Delhi Capitals roped in leg-spinner Alana King for Sutherland.
UP Warriorz also made a change, replacing Tara Norris with Australian all-rounder Charlie Knott. With the WPL set to run from January 9 to February 5 across Navi Mumbai and Vadodara, teams now face the challenge of recalibrating balance just days before the start.
Shreyas Iyer’s Comeback Delayed
India’s ODI plans took a hit as Shreyas Iyer failed to secure Return to Play clearance from the BCCI Centre of Excellence. Despite batting without pain, concerns over strength levels following significant weight loss from an abdominal injury have pushed his return back by at least a week.
Iyer was slated to feature in Vijay Hazare matches for Punjab before the New Zealand ODIs, but the delay makes his participation in the bilateral series doubtful. With a packed white-ball calendar and the T20 World Cup approaching, selectors are wary of rushing a key middle-order batter.
Harmanpreet Kaur Powers Historic Whitewash
On the field, Harmanpreet Kaur delivered a reminder of elite leadership. Her authoritative 68 off 43 balls guided India to 175 for 7 in the fifth T20I against Sri Lanka at Thiruvananthapuram. India then defended the total to seal a 15-run win and complete a 5–0 series sweep.
With Sri Lanka losing early wickets and Deepti Sharma becoming the leading wicket-taker in T20Is, India showcased depth beyond top-order dominance. The whitewash reinforced India’s growing consistency and Harmanpreet’s enduring value as captain and finisher.
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