Virat Kohli blocks BCCI, Rohit Sharma surrenders to selectors' demands! What's the future?

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has reportedly informed Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to participate in domestic cricket for selection in the national team. According to PTI, the two senior players are expected to feature in at least three to four matches of the Vijay Hazare Trophy in January next year.

Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are currently playing only One-Day Internationals (ODIs) after stepping away from other formats. The veteran duo announced their T20I retirements in June 2024 and later retired from Test cricket in May 2025.

They were last seen in action during the three-match ODI series against Australia in October 2025, where the Shubman Gill-led team lost 1-2. Rohit scored a fifty in the second match and an unbeaten century in the third, while Kohli registered a half-century in the final game at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

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BCCI Urges Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to Play Three to Four Matches in Vijay Hazare Trophy

According to PTI, the BCCI urged Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to participate in at least three to four matches of the Vijay Hazare Trophy ahead of the ODI series against New Zealand in January.

The board made the directive to keep the senior duo match-ready, especially if they plan to feature in the 2027 ODI World Cup, set to take place in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia in October and November.

With six rounds of domestic one-day games scheduled between India’s South Africa and New Zealand series, the selection committee, led by Ajit Agarkar, made it clear that all centrally contracted players must play domestic cricket when fit.

As reported on October 9 by @PTI_News the two legends are expected to play at least 3 rounds of National One Dayers#CricketTwitter pic.twitter.com/0VSdbUnVsf

— Kushan Sarkar (@kushansarkar) November 12, 2025

Rohit and Virat are among the all-time top scorers in ODI World Cups. Kohli is second with 1,795 runs, while Rohit is in fourth place with 1,575. The pair finished as the top two run-getters as India ended as runners-up in the 2023 ODI World Cup.

Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli Expected to Feature in Vijay Hazare Trophy

Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are expected to feature in the upcoming Vijay Hazare Trophy to maintain match fitness. According to The Indian Express, the BCCI informed both players that participation in domestic cricket is mandatory if they wish to continue representing India in ODIs.

"The board and team management have conveyed to both of them that they will have to play domestic cricket if they want to play for India. As they both have retired from two formats, they have to play domestic cricket to be match-fit," a BCCI official was quoted as saying by The Indian Express.

Rohit Sharma Confirms Availability; Virat Kohli’s Participation Still Uncertain

The report added that Rohit Sharma confirmed his participation in the upcoming Vijay Hazare Trophy and informed the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) of his availability. He also expressed interest in featuring in the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 tournament starting on November 26.

The veteran opener has been training at the Sharad Pawar Indoor Academy in Mumbai to stay in peak form. In contrast, there is still uncertainty regarding Virat Kohli’s participation in the domestic one-day competition.

The former India captain last played in the Vijay Hazare Trophy for Delhi back in February 2010 against Services. The BCCI is hoping Kohli will also make himself available for domestic cricket to maintain match fitness.

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