Kohli opened with welcome arms by DDCA to play in VHT [Source: X]Virat Kohli retired from T20Is in 2024 and bid adieu to Test cricket the following year; however, he still plays ODIs and arguably remains India’s most important player in this format. At 37, players enter the twilight of their careers, but Kohli has still set his sights on the 2027 ODI World Cup, to be played in South Africa, Namibia, and Zimbabwe.Since the champion batter only plays a solitary format nowadays, match practice remains vital if he wants to deliver the goods for India in the 2027 ODI World Cup.Barring the IPL, Kohli doesn’t play any other form of cricket, and hence, playing in the Indian domestic circuit could give him the ideal match practice that he needs.DDCA welcomes Kohli with open arms to play in domestic competitionThe Indian team management has always prioritised all its players to play in the domestic circuit when there is no international fixture, and they expect Virat Kohli to do the same during free time.The right-handed batter started his cricketing journey playing for Delhi, and recently, the current Delhi & District Cricket Association (DDCA) President, Rohan Jaitley, welcomed Kohli with open arms if he wants to come back and play in the Vijay Hazare Trophy and get the much-needed match practice.Also Read: Virat Kohli's Childhood Coach Shows Mirror For 2027 World Cup Questions“This is his home association. There is no question of us being open. This state is as much his as it belongs to me. And his commitment to play for the state is impeccable," Jaitley said while speaking to India Today."Whenever available, keeping his international commitments and workload management in mind, he definitely and certainly will play for the state again," he added.What happened the last time Kohli played in Vijay Hazare Trophy?Interestingly, Kohli’s place in the ODIs was under scrutiny in 2025 as the management wanted youngsters to get a chance in the 50-over setup. The 37-year-old eventually went back to domestic cricket, and he delivered the goods in the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26.The Delhi cricketer played just two games for his state team, but he racked up plenty of runs and tormented the bowlers with his sublime batting.The Indian legend scored 208 runs in two games, with an astonishing average of 104, including a century and a fifty.He played only two matches, but that gave him confidence and assured the Indian team that Kohli still remains hungry to take part in the 2027 ODI World Cup.Kohli set to play in ODIs against the West IndiesIt was in July 2026 when Kohli played his last ODI game (against England). Since then, Team India has not played a single 50-over contest, but that is set to change when the West Indies tour India later this month.The tour will kick off with three ODI matches, and the BCCI selectors are expected to name a full-strength squad, with Kohli set to be picked for the all-important home series.The ODI series at home will provide him with a great chance to get into the groove and get some runs under his belt before Team India tours New Zealand for an all-format tour, with ODIs also included.Also Read: Women’s Asia Cup Winners List With Captains From 2004 To 2026
