Virat Kohli Set To Miss Delhi vs Railways Clash in Vijay Hazare Trophy For NZ ODIs

Virat Kohli was ruled out of Delhi’s Vijay Hazare Trophy clash against Railways, reportedly due to his upcoming national commitments with the Indian ODI squad.

The latest development has suggested that senior batter Virat Kohli will not be playing for Delhi in their ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025–26 campaign’s upcoming match against Railways. The fixture, which will be the sixth round of the competition, is scheduled to be held on Tuesday, January 6, at the KSCA Three Ovals Ground 2 in Alur.

Earlier, Delhi & District Cricket Association president Rohan Jaitley had confirmed that the star batter would be seen turning out in the Delhi jersey for this clash. However, the latest update indicates that the 37-year-old will not be available for the game. While the exact reason behind his absence remains unknown, it is understood that Kohli is likely to join the Indian team soon for the upcoming ODI series against New Zealand, which may have forced his withdrawal.

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Rishabh Pant Also Set To Miss VHT Clash

Meanwhile, Delhi captain Rishabh Pant has also been named in India’s 15-member squad for the three-match ODI series. Despite that, there are strong indications that the wicketkeeper-batter will feature in the Railways match before departing for national duty. The ODI series against the BlackCaps will begin on January 11, and players are expected to report to the Indian camp on Wednesday.

Reflecting on Kohli’s performances in the domestic competition, the experienced top-order batter began the season with a magnificent century in the opening round and followed it up with a solid 77 in the second match. He was also adjudged Player of the Match for his knock in the second-round fixture, where Pant also impressed with a half-century. Both players are now set to link up with the Indian team for the upcoming ODI series.