Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are participating in the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26, marking a significant return to India's domestic 50-over competition. Both players, who now primarily represent India in ODIs, are using the tournament to prepare for the upcoming ODI series against New Zealand in January 2026.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) mandates that centrally contracted players participate in domestic tournaments when they are not on national duty. This has led to Kohli and Sharma's participation in the Vijay Hazare Trophy.

The structure of fees for the Vijay Hazare Trophy is determined by a player's experience in List A matches. Players with over 40 List A games receive INR 60,000 per match, while those with 21-40 games get INR 50,000, and players with up to 20 games are paid INR 40,000. Reserves earn INR 10,000 per match.

Given their extensive experience, both Kohli and Sharma fall into the highest pay bracket, earning INR 60,000 per match. While Kohli is expected to play three matches for Delhi, potentially earning a total of INR 1,80,000, Sharma is slated to play two matches for Mumbai, which would amount to INR 1,20,000.

Both Kohli and Sharma had impressive starts to their Vijay Hazare Trophy campaigns on Wednesday, December 24, 2025, each scoring centuries in their opening games. Sharma hit 155 runs against Sikkim, helping Mumbai win by eight wickets, while Kohli scored 131 runs against Andhra, leading Delhi to a four-wicket victory.

Despite their star status and high earnings from international cricket and the Indian Premier League (IPL), the amount they earn in the Vijay Hazare Trophy is significantly less. Kohli is in the A+ category of BCCI central contracts, which includes an annual retainer of INR 7 crore and higher match fees for international games.