Virat Kohli shares post-match moment with Andhra Pradesh players

Virat Kohli’s return to the Vijay Hazare Trophy was always going to draw attention, and the expectations around him were sky-high. The Indian great rose to the occasion in emphatic fashion, producing a sublime century to guide Delhi to a commanding victory over Andhra Pradesh.

After the match, Kohli was seen posing for a group photograph with the entire Andhra squad — a moment that underlined his stature in the game. For many young players in the opposition camp, it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience to share the field with one of the modern greats of cricket.

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While a few Andhra players such as Nitish Kumar Reddy and Srikar Bharat have previously played with or against Kohli, the encounter marked the first close-up interaction for most of the younger members of the team.

On the field, Kohli looked in complete control in his first Vijay Hazare Trophy appearance in over 15 years. Chasing a stiff target of 299, he anchored the innings with a composed 131 off 101 deliveries, laced with 14 boundaries and three sixes.

In the process, Kohli etched his name into the record books once again. He became the fastest batter in men’s List A cricket to reach 16,000 runs, achieving the milestone in just 330 innings. The previous record was held by Sachin Tendulkar, who had reached the landmark in 391 innings.

Kohli was not the only superstar making waves in domestic cricket. Former India captain Rohit Sharma also marked his return to the Vijay Hazare Trophy, turning out for Mumbai against Sikkim. Rohit matched Kohli’s century but at a far brisker pace, hammering 155 off just 94 balls, including 18 fours and nine sixes.

The return of two of India’s biggest modern-day batters — and their immediate impact — has effectively put to rest any lingering doubts over their place in India’s ODI setup. Their dominant knocks have only strengthened their case as key figures in the lead-up to the 2027 ODI World Cup, sending a clear message that class, once again, is permanent.