Two of the most significant athletes of our day, both on and off the pitch, are Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. Fans may only see the two play during India’s One Day International (ODI) matches or the Indian Premier League (IPL) as they have retired from Test and Twenty20 International cricket.
Kohli and Rohit could, nevertheless, appear in domestic cricket in the nation. The two performed admirably in a few Vijay Hazare Trophy games last season, scoring hundreds for Delhi and Mumbai, respectively.
Is it feasible for two of India’s best hitters of the twenty-first century to participate alongside other established Indian players in the 2026–2027 Duleep Trophy?
Will Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli participate in the Duleep Trophy in 2026?
In a nutshell, Kohli and Rohit will not compete in the 2026 Duleep Trophy. The senior Indian batters will not be visible to spectators during the event, which starts on August 23.
Since Kohli and Rohit withdrew from Test cricket more than a year ago, they have little to no motivation to compete in the First-Class Duleep Trophy.
When Kohli played for Delhi against Railways in a Ranji Trophy match at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in late January 2025, it was his final First-Class match. Himanshu Sangwan ejected the right-handed hitter after he had only managed six runs in the opening innings.
In contrast, Rohit represented Mumbai against Jammu & Kashmir at the Sharad Pawar Cricket Academy BKC in his final First-Class match in the same competition. Before permanently putting up his boots in red-ball cricket, he scored three in the first innings and twenty-eight in the second.
It is important to note that Rohit was left off of the West Zone squad when it was revealed on Wednesday, July 29. The team, which includes players like Sarfaraz Khan, Prithvi Shaw, Shardul Thakur, and Tushar Deshpande, will be captained by Ruturaj Gaikwad of the Chennai Super Kings.
When are Rohit and Virat Kohli going to play next?
The last time Kohli and Rohit played for India was in the three-match ODI series against England. The two displayed strong form, with the latter becoming the first Indian batter to achieve a century at Lord’s, even if they ended the series on the losing side.
The Men in Blue’s home ODI series against the West Indies will be the next opportunity for fans to see the legendary duo in India’s colours. The game will start in Thiruvananthapuram’s Greenfield International Stadium on Sunday, September 27.
