Virat Kohli returns to Vijay Hazare Trophy after 15 years: Full Delhi schedule, venue and timings
Virat Kohli returns to the Vijay Hazare Trophy after 15 years and joins Delhi in the 2025-26 season. Check Delhi’s full match schedule, dates, venues and timings as Kohli gears up for a major domestic comeback in India’s premier one-day tournament. All the details are inside.
Fans won’t have to wait long to witness Virat Kohli’s return to the field after the conclusion of the ODI series between India and South Africa. The iconic batsman is all set to participate in the Delhi Vijay Hazare Trophy, which starts on December 24, just ahead of India’s next ODI series against New Zealand.
This will mark Kohli’s first appearance in India’s premier List-A competition in 15 years, with his last outing dating back to 2010 when he played against Services. He captained the team in that match and scored 16 from eight balls; while current BCCI President Mithun Manas made a notable contribution with 148 runs.
Earlier this year, Kohli made his first appearance for the state team since 2012, representing Delhi in the Ranji Trophy match against Railways at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.
The Delhi team is currently based in Bengaluru and will play all their matches in the city and Alur. However, the exact venues for the Bengaluru matches remain uncertain, especially regarding the M Chinnaswamy Stadium’s ability to host the games. There is a possibility that the matches will be moved to the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) Center of Excellence (COE) ground.
Despite some reports that Kohli may not be able to participate in all matches and may only play for 2-3 matches, there is no official confirmation on this matter yet. The Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) stated that they reached out to inform them that Kohli could participate in the tournament.
The knockout rounds are scheduled to be held from January 12 to 18 at the COE Ground in Bengaluru. If Delhi qualify, Kohli will not be able to play in those matches due to scheduling conflicts with India’s ODI series against New Zealand.
Delhi’s Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025–26 schedule
24 December 2025 – Delhi – Andhra
26 December 2025 – Delhi – Gujarat
29 December 2025 – Delhi – Saurashtra
31 December 2025 – Delhi – Odisha
3 January 2026 – Delhi and Services
6 January 2026 – Vs Delhi Railways
8 January 2026 – Delhi – Haryana
Knockout Stage (If Delhi Qualifies)
Quarter Finals: Around January 12-13, 2026
Semi-Finals: Around January 15-16, 2026
Final: 18 January 2026 (Bengaluru)
*All matches start at 09:00 IST and are played in Bengaluru (mostly at Alur grounds and M Chinnaswamy Stadium).
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