Virat Kohli’s junior coach Rajkumar Sharma believes the Indian great is fully fit for the 2027 ODI World Cup after the former skipper marked his return to the Vijay Hazare Trophy with a century for Delhi.
Kohli played a Vijay Hazare Trophy match for the first time since 2010 when Delhi took on Andhra Pradesh at the BCCI’s Center of Excellence in Bengaluru on Wednesday, the opening day of India’s first 50-over competition. Bat with trademark authority and control, The 37-year-old hit an excellent 131 from just 101 deliveries to anchor Delhi’s successful chase with 299.
Rajkumar Sharma said Kohli’s performance showed there was little corrosion despite the long absence from domestic cricket. “He is in brilliant form. He batted very well and gave Delhi a win. It’s been a long time since he played domestic cricket but he still performed exceptionally well. He is the most consistent player in the Indian team and is fully prepared for the World Cup,” Rajkumar Sharma told ANI.
His innings, laced with 12 fours and three sixes, carried historical weight. Kohli became the fastest batsman reach 16,000 runs in List A crickethe got there in his 330th innings, surpassing the previous record held by Sachin Tendulkar, who needed 391 innings to reach the landmark. Kohli is now only the second Indian batsman to cross the 16,000-run mark in the format.
The hundred followed close on the heels of back-to-back ODI centuries against South Africa earlier this month, a run of form that underlined Kohli’s continued relevance in the 50-over game. Having retired from T20 Internationals and Tests, Kohli now plays only ODIs, with a clear focus on extending his career towards the 2027 Cricket World Cup.
His decision to return to domestic cricket comes against the backdrop of the BCCI’s renewed emphasis on senior players featuring in domestic tournaments, as well as Kohli’s own desire to remain match-ready and rhythmically sharp.
Kohli came into bat in the very first over and smoothly took control of the chase. He first added 113 runs for the second wicket with opener Priyansh Arya before stitching a decisive 160-run partnership for the third wicket with Nitish Rana. Kohli was eventually dismissed for 131 with Delhi needing just 26 runs to win.
He was well supported by Rana who scored 77 off 55 balls and Arya who registered a fluent 74 off 44 deliveries as Delhi chased down the target in 37.4 overs.
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Issued by:
Saurabh Kumar
Published on:
December 25, 2025
