NEW DELHI: Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are likely to feature in at least three, possibly four, Vijay Hazare Trophy matches before India's ODI series against New Zealand in January, assuming both remain on track for the 2027 World Cup.

Between the end of the South Africa ODIs and the start of the New Zealand leg, Delhi and Mumbai will have at least six rounds of Vijay Hazare Trophy fixtures. The national selectors are expected to want the experienced duo to take part in the 50-over tournament to maintain match practice and form.

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Ajit Agarkar, chairman of selectors, has emphasised that all centrally contracted players who are fit and available are expected to participate in domestic cricket.

"Between last ODI against South Africa on December 6 at Visakhapatnam and the first ODI against New Zealand at Vadodara on January 11, there is a gap of five weeks.

"The Vijay Hazare Trophy starts on December 24. There will be six rounds of games for Mumbai (December 24, 26, 29, 31, Jan 3, 6, 8). Rohit will be expected to at least play three rounds before linking up with the squad. Ditto for Virat," a BCCI source told PTI on conditions of anonymity.

Even Ravichandran Ashwin on his YouTube channel had said that both of them might need to play a bit of domestic cricket to get into the groove and could have actually played the India A series.

"If you need their services, you have to find a way. For example, the India 'A' series happened, so you need to ask them to play that series because there is not much 50-over cricket. They should have said that if you don't play the series, I don’t think you fit in the plan.

"If not this series, then they have to play the Vijay Hazare Trophy, because that will let us know the kind of form you are in," Ashwin said.