Virat Kohli is set to return to domestic 50-over cricket for the first time in 12 years, lining up for Delhi in their Vijay Hazare Trophy opener against Andhra today. However, the high-profile fixture has been moved from the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium to the BCCI Centre of Excellence on Bengaluru’s outskirts and will be played behind closed doors.
This shift comes after the Karnataka government denied permission to host the match at the central stadium, meaning Kohli will play without a crowd for the first time since the lifting of pandemic-era protocols. The fixture was originally slated for Alur, but officials had attempted to move it to the Chinnaswamy once Kohli’s participation was confirmed.
The refusal to host the match at the main stadium stems from safety concerns following a stampede on June 4, 2025, during Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s title celebrations, which resulted in 11 deaths.
A government review committee cited non-compliance with safety recommendations from the Justice Michael D’Cunha report. While the KSCA proposed a limited capacity of 3,000 spectators, the match must now take place at the BCCI CoE, a venue that lacks public seating infrastructure.
Kohli, who last appeared in the Vijay Hazare Trophy in 2010, is using the tournament to prepare for India’s ODI series against New Zealand starting January 11. Playing under the captaincy of Rishabh Pant, he is currently at 15,999 List A runs and needs just one more to join Sachin Tendulkar as the only Indians to reach the 16,000-run milestone.
His return aligns with a BCCI directive encouraging centrally contracted players to participate in domestic windows. Kohli enters the competition in notable form, having recorded four consecutive fifty-plus scores in his recent ODI appearances, including two centuries against South Africa.
The move to the CoE presents a challenge for fans, as most Vijay Hazare Trophy matches, including Delhi’s fixtures, will not be broadcast or live-streamed. Supporters in Bengaluru may have to travel nearly 50km to the city's outskirts only to attempt a glimpse of the action through barbed-wire fencing.
