Former Team India captain Virat Kohli made his long-awaited return to domestic cricket a memorable one by scoring a century in the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025 match against Andhra Pradesh in Bengaluru on Wednesday, December 24. Playing a 50-over domestic game after nearly 15 years, Kohli once again showed why consistency has always been his biggest strength.
Delhi won the toss and chose to bowl first at the BCCI Centre of Excellence. Their bowlers did a solid job, limiting Andhra Pradesh to 298 for 8 in the allotted 50 overs. Ricky Bhui held the innings together with a fine 122 off 105 balls, while Shaik Rasheed chipped in with 31. For Delhi, Simarjeet Singh stood out with an impressive spell, picking up 5 wickets for 54 runs.
Virat Kohli Takes Charge Early in the Chase
While chasing a target of 299, Virat Kohli walked out to bat in the very first over. He looked confident right from the start, striking two boundaries early and racing to 10 runs off just five balls. His intent was clear, but he also stayed calm and composed at the crease.
Kohli then put together a strong 113-run partnership for the second wicket with Priyansh Arya. Arya played the aggressor’s role, smashing 74 runs off just 44 deliveries, which included seven fours and five sixes. The pair kept Delhi firmly on track during the chase.
A Century to Remember on Vijay Hazare Trophy Return
After Arya was dismissed, Kohli continued to bat with patience and control. He paced his innings beautifully and eventually brought up a well-deserved century. This knock marked his 58th List A hundred and made his return to the Vijay Hazare Trophy even more special.
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It was a reminder of Kohli’s class and ability to deliver, no matter the stage or the gap between appearances.
Virat Kohli Moves Closer to Sachin Tendulkar’s Record
As per ESPNcricinfo, this was Virat Kohli’s 58th century in List A cricket. He now sits second on the all-time list, just behind Sachin Tendulkar, who leads with 60 hundreds. What stands out even more is that 53 of Kohli’s 58 List A centuries have come at the international level.
Interestingly, Kohli has featured in only 18 Vijay Hazare Trophy matches for Delhi so far. Before this game, his last appearance in the tournament was way back on February 18, 2010. In that match, he captained Delhi against Services in Gurgaon and scored 16 runs in a comfortable 113-run victory.
Another Major Milestone for the Run Machine
During his century in Bengaluru, Kohli also crossed the 1,000-run mark for Delhi in List A cricket. At 37 years old, he continues to add new achievements to his already legendary career.
He is scheduled to play one more match in the Vijay Hazare Trophy before shifting focus to the upcoming three-match ODI series against New Zealand.
Kohli also created history by becoming the fastest player to reach 16,000 runs in List A cricket. He achieved the milestone in just 330 innings, breaking Sachin Tendulkar’s previous record of 391 innings. With this, Kohli became only the second Indian cricketer to score more than 16,000 List A runs.
Players With the Most List A Centuries
Sachin Tendulkar leads the list with 60 centuries from 551 matches between 1989 and 2012. Virat Kohli follows closely with 58 hundreds from 343 matches played between 2006 and 2025, boasting an outstanding average of over 57. Graham Gooch, Graeme Hick, Kumar Sangakkara, and Rohit Sharma round out the top six, highlighting the elite company Kohli continues to keep.
Virat Kohli’s latest knock was not just about runs or records. It was a statement that even after years away from domestic cricket, his hunger and love for the game remain as strong as ever.
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