Virat Kohli Continues Strong Run with 77 for Delhi Against Gujarat
Photo Credit: K. MURALI KUMAR Via The Hindu
Bengaluru: Virat Kohli continued his impressive return to domestic cricket with a fluent half-century for Delhi against Gujarat in an Elite phase match of the Vijay Hazare Trophy on Friday.
The 37-year-old scored 77 off 61 balls, striking 11 fours and a six, showcasing his trademark control and timing. Kohli brought up his fifty in just 29 deliveries before being stumped off left-arm spinner Vishal B Jayswal, with Urvil Patel completing the dismissal behind the stumps.
This followed a memorable outing earlier in the week when Kohli marked his return to the Vijay Hazare Trophy after 15 years with a commanding 131 off 101 balls against Andhra, guiding Delhi to a four-wicket victory.
During that innings, Kohli achieved a major milestone, overtaking Sachin Tendulkar to become the fastest batter to 16,000 runs in men’s List A cricket, reaching the mark in his 330th innings. He now holds the record for being the quickest to every 1,000-run milestone from 10,000 onwards in the format.
Like Rohit Sharma, Kohli has returned to India’s premier domestic 50-over competition after a long gap. Kohli last played the tournament in the 2009–10 season, while Rohit last featured in 2017–18.
Both players, now retired from Tests and T20Is, remain in contention for the 2027 ODI World Cup.
Final Thoughts from The Trending People
Virat Kohli’s back-to-back impactful innings underline his enduring class and hunger for runs. His return to domestic cricket not only boosts Delhi’s campaign but also strengthens his case as a key figure in India’s ODI plans going forward.