Wednesday, 24 December 2025
Wednesday, 24 December 2025
The opening day of the Vijay Hazare Trophy turned into a celebration of star power and batting excellence, with Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli dominating the second half after a morning marked by record-breaking centuries.
Rohit smashed a 62-ball century while Kohli also brought up his hundred in 83 balls, hitting 10 fours and three sixes, underlining why the two senior batters continue to command unmatched attention in Indian cricket.
Kohli etched his name deeper into cricketing history by becoming only the second Indian to complete 16,000 List A runs.
The landmark came during his return to the Vijay Hazare Trophy on Wednesday, playing for Delhi against Andhra Pradesh at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence.
Kohli reached the milestone with his first run in Delhi’s chase of 299, achieving the feat in his 330th List A innings. Sachin Tendulkar had reached the mark in 391 innings.
Kohli is now the ninth player overall to cross 16,000 List A runs, joining a list that includes legends such as Tendulkar, Ricky Ponting, Kumar Sangakkara and Sir Vivian Richards.
His last appearance in the Vijay Hazare Trophy had come in the 2010-11 season, when he captained Delhi. He remains the second-highest run-scorer in ODI history, behind only Tendulkar.
Kohli is still chasing Tendulkar’s record of 60 List A centuries. He currently has 57 centuries. Having made his List A debut in 2006 for Delhi in the Ranji One-Day Tournament, Kohli’s performances in the 50-over format across domestic competitions have consistently stood out.
Rohit delivered a spectacle in Jaipur. On a balmy December afternoon at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Rohit played the swivel pull, lofted sixes down the ground and swept pacers from Sikkim with ease, gifting fans in the Pink City what many called the best present on Christmas Eve.
On a weekday, more than 20,000 people turned up to watch the former India captain bat, free of cost. Rohit’s 37th List A hundred, a 155 off 93 balls, was as much about entertainment as it was about quality.
Eighteen fours and nine sixes ensured that the crowd’s appetite was more than satisfied.
By 9 am, all roads led to the stadium. People skipped jobs, students bunked college and Rajasthan Sports Council employees crowded balconies for a view.
The chants of “Mumbai chaa Rajaa Rohit Sharma” echoed across the stands, and when fans realised Mumbai were fielding first, some even left briefly, hoping Sikkim would bat well enough to allow Rohit ample time at the crease.
There were also shouts of “Gambhir kidhar hai, dekh raha hai na?” directed in the direction of Gautam Gambhir, and possibly national selector R.P. Singh, who was seated near the boundary line.
Once Sikkim posted 236 for seven, the stadium filled completely, barring the stand above the dressing room that remained closed for security reasons.
Some fans even perched on the terrace of the Sports Council building. Every dot ball played by Angkrish Raghuvanshi was booed, as the crowd waited for Rohit.
The noise peaked when Rohit hit his first pick-up swivel pull behind square off Kranthi Kumar. Sikkim’s bowlers Kranthi, Palzor and left-arm spinner Gurinder appeared overawed, offering too many half-trackers.
Rohit swept seamer Palzor behind square on one knee, survived two dropped catches and raced to a 62-ball century and a 91-ball 150.
Kranthi Kumar found the edge with a wide delivery, ending Rohit’s innings on a tired-looking shot. The ‘Hitman’ scored 155 of 94 deliveries and helped Mumbai win the game by 8 wickets.
Rohit is set for another outing on Friday, promising another full house.
Elsewhere, wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan announced his return to form with a stunning 33-ball century for Jharkhand against Karnataka in an Elite Group A match in Ahmedabad.
Days after leading Jharkhand to their maiden Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy title and earning a recall to the Indian team for the upcoming T20 World Cup, Kishan produced one of the fastest hundreds by an Indian in List A cricket.
The left-hander scored 125 off 39 balls, smashing seven fours and 14 sixes, as Jharkhand posted a massive 412 for nine in 50 overs.
The opening day of the Vijay Hazare Trophy thus became a showcase of India’s batting depth, where milestones, star appeal and fearless strokeplay came together in unforgettable fashion.
