Reports confirm that neither Rohit Sharma nor Virat Kohli has been compelled by Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to participate in domestic cricket. In fact, both senior players are keen to feature in domestic games to maintain match readiness, according to News18 CricketNext. The exact number of matches they will play is still uncertain.
India’s ODI series against New Zealand starts on January 11. Vijay Hazare Trophy begins on December 24, and Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma should realistically be available for the entire league phase. However, early indications suggest that Kohli may take part in only three of Delhi’s seven group-stage fixtures.
“Nobody has forced them to return to the domestic circuit. Both Rohit and Kohli have made themselves available for Vijay Hazare Trophy on their own accord,” a top BCCI official told News18 CricketNext.
Earlier this year, BCCI made it compulsory for all centrally contracted players to take part in domestic cricket whenever they are available and not occupied with international duties or recovering from injury. Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli featured in just one match each during the 2024-25 Ranji Trophy season before announcing their retirement from red-ball cricket four months later.
On December 2, it was officially confirmed that Rohit would represent Mumbai and Kohli would turn out for Delhi in the upcoming domestic season. This development led some to speculate that BCCI was compelling the senior duo to participate, although reports indicate otherwise.
Why did BCCI make domestic cricket compulsory for centrally contracted players?
The board introduced this mandate to strengthen the domestic system, help players maintain match fitness, and ensure senior cricketers stay closely connected with the talent pipeline. Under the policy, any exemption requires prior approval from both the Chairman of Selectors and the head coach.
Participation in key domestic tournaments such as the Ranji Trophy, Vijay Hazare Trophy, and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy has now become essential not only for national team selection but also for retaining a central contract.
