Virat Kohli once again proved his class in domestic cricket as he played a fluent knock of 77 to help Delhi post a competitive total of 254 for 9 against Gujarat in their Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025/26 clash at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru on Thursday. Rishabh Pant also chipped in with a vital 70, but Delhi’s middle order failed to capitalise on the strong platform laid by the two senior batters.
Winning the spotlight, Kohli completed his half-century in just 29 balls and went on to score 77 off 61 deliveries, striking 13 boundaries and a six. His aggressive innings not only anchored Delhi’s batting but also helped him surpass Australian legend Michael Bevan to register the highest average in List A cricket, adding another milestone to his illustrious career. However, Kohli fell short of scoring a second consecutive century.
Pant, batting with a different approach, started cautiously before settling into his rhythm. The wicketkeeper-batter scored 70 off 79 balls, playing a stabilising role as wickets kept falling at the other end. Despite the presence of several IPL stars in the lineup, Delhi struggled to maintain momentum after the dismissals of Kohli and Pant.
Young batters Priyansh Arya, Nitish Rana and Ayush Badoni failed to make an impact, allowing Gujarat to claw back into the contest with disciplined bowling in the final overs. Delhi could only add 254 runs in their allotted 50 overs, a total that looked competitive but not overwhelming on a good batting surface.
In reply, Gujarat began steadily, reaching 16 without loss in 2.3 overs at the time of reporting. Openers Aarya Desai and Urvil Patel looked composed as Gujarat chased a target of 255. With plenty of overs in hand, the match promises an exciting finish as both teams eye a crucial win in the tournament.
