Focus on Virat, Rohit as Vijay Hazare Trophy kicks off

Kohli and Rohit play only ODIs and both have been in sublime form in the format. Although Delhi’s first match against Andhra on Wednesday will be played in Kohli’s second home, Bengaluru, his first outing to the city since Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s IPL title triumph in June will be at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence in the outskirts. A Karnataka government committee denied permission on Tuesday to hold the game at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium after a safety inspection.

With Kohli, 37, and Pant in the line-up, fans will hope the match is at least on TV. Kohli’s last four ODI innings are two centuries and two unbeaten half-centuries. A Delhi team that has struggled for consistency will be grateful if he teams up with Pant, who will lead the side, to dominate the Andhra bowling in the Elite Group D tie. Pant has been out of India’s white-ball teams since August, 2024.

It will be Kohli’s first domestic game after a home Ranji tie in January against Railways. His last Vijay Hazare game was in 2010. He is also one run short of completing 16,000 runs in List A matches. Among Indians, only Sachin Tendulkar is ahead.