Rohit Sharma marked his return to domestic cricket with a 62-ball century against Sikkim, his fastest in List A cricket, as Mumbai began their Vijay Hazare Trophy campaign in Jaipur. Chasing 237, Rohit surpassed his previous personal best; a 63-ball hundred against Afghanistan, to record his 37th ton in the format. Ending with figures of 155 of 94 balls, as Mumbai won by 7 wickets.
The Sawai Mansingh Stadium saw a bigger turnout, with local authorities opening three additional stands to accommodate over 10,000 fans after the Rajasthan Cricket Association made entry free.
The atmosphere in Jaipur was heightened by the presence of national selector R.P. Singh, prompting the crowd to chant, “Gambhir dekh raha hai na, Rohit ka jalwa” Rohit, who is now closing in on 14,000 runs in the 50-over format, engaged with the audience between overs, waving to fans and allowing photos through the fence.
This appearance marks his first for Mumbai in the competition since 2018, as he continues to focus on the ODI format with an eye on the 2027 World Cup. His innings today included eight fours and eight sixes, effectively ending the contest early.
And down south in Bengaluru, Virat Kohli reached a personal milestone of his own, becoming only the second Indian after Sachin Tendulkar to complete 16,000 runs in List A cricket. Playing his first Vijay Hazare match in 12 years, Kohli scored a 39-ball fifty to steady the innings after the early loss of opener Arpit Rana.
Kohli, batting at number three under the captaincy of Rishabh Pant, showcased a more composed approach, playing the ball on merit after an initially aggressive start. He shared a 114-run partnership with Priyansh Arya, who contributed a 44-ball 74 before falling to K.S. Raju. K.S. Raju then ended on the side of a mishap dropping Kohli on 96, costing them deeply as Kohli smashed the next delivery to reach his century. He powered through the 90s with 11 boundaries and three sixes in this innings.
