The 2025-26 Vijay Hazare Trophy is underway, but several big names are missing from action in the latest round of matches. While Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma were initially part of the tournament, they were only slated to participate in the first couple of games for their respective teams. Shubman Gill is also out of Punjab's playing XI in their match against Sikkim on Saturday.
Kohli and Sharma's Limited Participation
Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, both veterans of Indian cricket, had generated considerable excitement with their return to domestic cricket after a long absence. Both players had confirmed their availability for the first two matches of the tournament, representing Delhi and Mumbai, respectively. In their first appearances, both made significant contributions, with Sharma scoring 155 against Sikkim and Kohli hitting a century against Andhra Pradesh. However, their participation was limited to those initial games. Sharma was only included in the Mumbai squad for the first two matches, and Kohli was later seen in Mumbai, indicating he would not participate in Delhi's subsequent games. The BCCI had reportedly mandated that they only needed to play two matches in the domestic competition.
Shubman Gill's Absence
Shubman Gill's absence from Punjab's playing XI against Sikkim comes as a surprise. After recovering from an injury and being dropped from India's T20 World Cup squad, Gill was expected to use the Vijay Hazare Trophy to regain his form. However, he was not named in the playing XI for the match against Sikkim. Recent reports suggest that Gill might have missed the game due to food poisoning. Despite this, his condition is reportedly minor, and he is expected to be available for the upcoming ODI series against New Zealand.
Other Players in Action
Despite the absence of these high-profile players, the Vijay Hazare Trophy continues to showcase a wealth of talent from across India. Rishabh Pant is leading Delhi in the tournament, while Shardul Thakur is captaining the Mumbai side. Ishan Kishan is leading Jharkhand against Kerala. Arshdeep Singh is playing for Punjab. Prithvi Shaw and Arshin Kulkarni have formed a strong opening partnership for Maharashtra.
The Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26 features 38 teams divided into Elite Groups and a Plate Group. The tournament is taking place across multiple venues, including Ahmedabad, Rajkot, Jaipur, Bengaluru, Alur, and Ranchi, from December 24, 2025, to January 18, 2026. The top teams from the Elite Groups will advance to the quarter-finals, followed by semi-finals and the final. Karnataka are the defending champions.
The absence of Kohli and Sharma has led to disappointment among fans, and their matches, along with Gill's, were not broadcast or live-streamed. The reason for the lack of live streaming was due to logistical challenges and the prior uncertainty regarding the availability of the international players.
