Virat Kohli narrowly missed out on a second consecutive century in the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025–26, falling for a fluent 77 off 61 balls against Gujarat on Friday, December 26, at the BCCI Centre of Excellence Ground 1 in Bengaluru. The former India captain entered the contest in sublime form after scoring a commanding hundred against Andhra in Delhi’s opening fixture.

Kohli was called into action early after opener Priyansh Arya was dismissed in just the second over by CT Gaja. Wasting no time, Kohli launched into attack mode, unfurling a series of crisp strokes and racing to 30 off just 16 deliveries at a strike rate exceeding 190. He reached his half-century in only 29 balls, while Arpit Rana struggled to find rhythm at the other end.

As wickets continued to fall around him, with Arpit Rana (10) and Nitish Rana (12 off 22) departing cheaply, Kohli was forced to rein in his aggression. With Delhi in need of stability, he shifted gears and took on the role of an anchor, ensuring the innings did not collapse.

Kohli’s resistance eventually ended on 77, once again off the bowling of CT Gaja. His innings featured 13 boundaries and a towering six, leaving the spectators thoroughly entertained despite him missing out on a three-figure score. His last six innings are a string of phenomenal performances, proving why is he the greatest batter of the modern day cricket.

While Kohli maintained his impressive form, Rohit Sharma experienced a forgettable second outing in the tournament. Just days after smashing a breathtaking 155 off 94 balls against Sikkim, the Mumbai opener was dismissed for a golden duck in his side’s clash against Uttarakhand.

Also Read: From 155 to zero: Rohit Sharma’s contrasting fortunes at Jaipur

Attempting an early pull shot against Devendra Singh Bohra in the opening over, Rohit picked out Jagmohan Nagarkoti at fine leg, bringing an abrupt end to his innings. The dismissals underlined the contrasting fortunes of two of India’s modern greats in the Vijay Hazare Trophy.