Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma agree to Ajit Agarkar's conditions, set to play Vijay Hazare Trophy before NZ ODIs

Published - 10 Oct 2025, 14:28 IST | Updated - 10 Oct 2025, 14:59 IST

Star batters Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have reportedly agreed to the conditions placed by chief selector Ajit Agarkar and are set to feature in the Vijay Hazare Trophy before India’s upcoming ODI series against New Zealand in January. Agarkar had made it clear that every centrally contracted player who is fit and available must participate in domestic cricket to stay in contention for future national selection, including the 2027 ODI World Cup.

Agarkar’s directive followed concerns about senior players skipping domestic cricket. During the squad announcement for the Australia ODI series, he stated that participation in domestic tournaments like the Vijay Hazare Trophy was non-negotiable for players with long breaks between international assignments.

As per a Hindustan Times report, both Kohli and Rohit have confirmed their availability for at least three, if not four, Vijay Hazare Trophy matches, scheduled to begin on December 24. Between the final ODI against South Africa on December 6 and the first ODI against New Zealand on January 11, there’s a five-week window that allows good time for them to feature for their respective state teams, Delhi (Kohli) and Mumbai (Rohit).

"Between the last ODI against South Africa on December 6 at Visakhapatnam and the first ODI against New Zealand at Vadodara on January 11, there is a gap of five weeks. "The Vijay Hazare Trophy starts on December 24. There will be six rounds of games for Mumbai (December 24, 26, 29, 31, Jan 3, 6, 8). Rohit will be expected to at least play three rounds before linking up with the squad. Ditto for Virat," a BCCI source told.

Rohit, Virat's immense experience inspires the team: Gill

This will see a rare return to domestic 50-over cricket for both the batters. Kohli last played the Vijay Hazare Trophy in 2010, while Rohit’s last appearance came in 2018, when he represented Mumbai in the semifinals. Notably, both batters are set to play in the Australia ODIs in October before joining their state teams for the Vijay Hazare Trophy.

Meanwhile, Agarkar’s selection panel has faced criticism for replacing Rohit with Shubman Gill as India’s new ODI captain. However, Ravichandran Ashwin has backed the decision and urged the senior duo to prove their commitment through performances in domestic tournaments.