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Watch: Virat Kohli returns to nets ahead of Vijay Hazare Trophy, to play under Rishabh Pant before New Zealand ODIs

dnaindia.com NaN days ago

Virat Kohli has returned to the nets as he steps up preparations for the Vijay Hazare Trophy. The star batter was seen sweating it out in training and is set to turn out for Delhi under captain Rishabh Pant, with an eye on form ahead of the next ODI series.

Watch: Virat Kohli returns to nets ahead of Vijay Hazare Trophy, to play under Rishabh Pant before New Zealand ODIs

Virat Kohli has made his way back to the Reliance Jio Stadium nets in Alibaug, Mumbai, to prepare for his upcoming cricketing challenge. He is gearing up to compete in the Vijay Hazare Trophy alongside Rishabh Pant for Delhi shortly. A video of the star cricketer practicing his batting in the nets surfaced online on Sunday, quickly going viral.

Rishabh Pant and Virat Kohli are the standout players in Delhi’s 20-member squad for the first two matches of the 2025-26 Vijay Hazare Trophy. This domestic 50-over tournament is set to commence on 24 December. Delhi, which is in Group D, will conduct all its group-stage games in Bengaluru.

The BCCI has mandated that all Indian team members participate in at least two rounds of the List A event, prompting Pant and Kohli to confirm their availability to the Delhi & District Cricket Association (DDCA). DDCA president Rohan Jaitley confirmed Kohli’s participation on 2nd December. Pant will captain Delhi in the matches against Andhra and Gujarat.

Kohli showcased exceptional form during the recent three-match ODI series against South Africa at home, scoring two centuries and a half-century, leading to a 2-1 victory for the hosts.

Kohli’s next international challenge will be a three-match ODI series against New Zealand starting on 11 January. His last appearance for Delhi was against Railways in the Ranji Trophy back in January.

The squad also includes veteran fast bowler Ishant Sharma. Interestingly, Ishant and Kohli, who are known to be close friends, both made their Ranji Trophy debuts for Delhi in 2006.

The decision of top players like Kohli and Pant to actively participate in the Vijay Hazare Trophy marks a significant boost for the domestic cricket framework. It not only enhances the tournament's stature but also offers young players in the Delhi squad a unique opportunity to share the dressing room with contemporary legends.

For fans, this presents a rare opportunity to witness these icons competing in the domestic arena before they return to their national responsibilities.

Delhi’s squad for first two matches: Rishabh Pant (c), Ayush Badoni (vc), Virat Kohli, Arpit Rana, Yash Dhull, Sarthak Ranjan, Priyansh Arya, Tejasvi Singh (wk), Nitish Rana, Hrithik Shokeen, Harsh Tyagi, Simarjeet Singh, Prince Yadav, Divij Mehra, Ayush Doseja, Vaibhav Kandpal, Rohan Rana, Ishant Sharma, Navdeep Saini

Reserve: Anuj Rawat (wk)

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