BCCI Wants Kohli & Rohit in India A
Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma’s ODI future has once again become a talking point in Indian cricket. With India’s next international assignment being the Asia Cup next month in the UAE, reports suggest the BCCI wants the duo to focus on India A matches instead of the Vijay Hazare Trophy.
BCCI’s Priority: India A Games Over Vijay Hazare Trophy
A PTI report revealed there is a “school of thought in the BCCI” that prioritises 50-over India A games for the two senior batters. The Vijay Hazare Trophy is unlikely to see their participation due to an overlapping international schedule.
Kohli and Rohit retired from T20Is in June last year after India’s World Cup triumph in Barbados. They also stepped away from Test cricket in May this year, leaving ODIs as their only active international format.
The duo was expected to return during the Bangladesh tour, but the series was cancelled. India will now play ODIs against Australia from October 19-25. Before that, BCCI officials want them to feature in India A matches against Australia A in Kanpur on September 30, October 3 and October 5. These games will coincide with the senior team’s first Test against the West Indies in Ahmedabad.
Why Vijay Hazare Trophy Participation Looks Unlikely
A Dainik Jagran report claimed Kohli and Rohit must play domestic cricket to stay match-ready for the 2027 ODI World Cup. However, the BCCI source told PTI, “Even if they play the Vijay Hazare Trophy, they would have already played six ODIs before that. Between the Australia and South Africa ODI series, there is an India A series against South Africa A with three List A games (50 overs) at Rajkot on November 13, 16, and 19.”
The source added, “Now, the question is whether the duo will want to play those three A games, or possibly two, before the South Africa series. Even more important is whether Ajit Agarkar and his colleagues would want that.”
The Vijay Hazare Trophy runs from December 24, 2025 to January 18, 2026. The BCCI official explained, “Overlapping with the Vijay Hazare Trophy (December 24, 2025 – January 18, 2026) are the three ODIs between India and New Zealand (January 11, 14, 18). So even if they play the Vijay Hazare Trophy, it can’t be for more than two to three games.”
With scheduling conflicts and upcoming high-profile series, the BCCI’s preference for India A matches signals a strategic approach to keep Kohli and Rohit in prime ODI form.
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