Delhi has unveiled their Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26 lineup, which includes senior India stars Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant in the initial phase of the local 50-over tournament. Pant has been named captain, and Kohli has returned to List A cricket for Delhi after 15 years. The 20-man squad has been revealed for Delhi’s first two group-stage matches, which will be contested in Bengaluru beginning December 24.
Kohli and Pant have been included at a time when the BCCI has made it mandatory for its centrally-contracted players to feature in a minimum of two rounds of the Vijay Hazare Trophy. With no international fixtures for nearly three weeks, several Indian regulars have made themselves available to play domestic cricket. Delhi are placed in Group D and will play all their seven league matches in Bengaluru from December 24 to January 8.
Delhi & District Cricket Association (DDCA) confirmed that Kohli, Pant, Ishant Sharma and Navdeep Saini will be available. Rana, who is currently with India’s T20I side on the South Africa tour, will return once he is free from national duty.
Pant has been made captain as Delhi look to turn the page on poor showings in the Ranji Trophy and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. He will also play as wicketkeeper and his back-up is Tejasvi Dahiya, with Anuj Rawat being in reserve.
Virat Kohli Returns to Domestic Cricket in Red-Hot Form
On the other hand, the former India skipper is on a high after his ODI series against South Africa which saw him score two hundred and a half-century. His last appearance for Delhi in domestic cricket came in the Ranji Trophy game in January, and his first in 50-over cricket since 2011.
Delhi are led by regular India captain Virat Kohli, who, along with Ishant Sharma — he too made his Ranji Trophy debut for Delhi in 2006 — bring a treasure trove of experience to the squad. Navdeep boosts the pace stocks, and Simarjeet Singh and Prince Yadav are two young quicks to watch. Hrithik Shokeen, Harsh Tyagi and Vaibhav Kandpal will lead the spin department, while Rohan Rana fills the all-rounder’s role. The 19-year-old Ayush Badoni has been named vice-captain, and the batting core includes Yash Dhull, Nitish Rana, and Priyansh Arya.
Delhi squad for the first two Vijay Hazare Trophy matches:
Rishabh Pant (capt), Ayush Badoni (vice-capt), 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. Anuj Rawat (standby wicketkeeper)
