Focus on Virat, Rohit as Vijay Hazare Trophy one-dayers set for starry start

The Vijay Hazare Trophy one-day tournament from Wednesday will be a star-studded affair to start with this season.

- HTC & Agencies

Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant are expected to play at least the first two games in line with the cricket board's directive asking its centrally contracted players to feature in domestic games during international breaks.

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 lineup, 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.