Delhi faced Gujarat at the BCCI Center of Excellence on Friday, December 26, in the second round of the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025, with all eyes firmly fixed on Virat Kohli following his century against Andhra in the opening match.

Kohli once again stamped his authority, continuing his rich vein of form by racing to a blistering half-century off just 29 balls. The right-hander eventually fell for an entertaining 77 off 61 deliveries, narrowly missing out on a second consecutive hundred. However, Delhi’s innings began to wobble soon after Kohli’s dismissal, as the batting line-up struggled to maintain momentum.

It was then that captain Rishabh Pant rose to the occasion. After a disappointing outing in the first game, the left-hander delivered a timely reminder of his class with a composed yet impactful knock of 70 off 79 balls. Pant struck eight fours and two sixes, steadying the innings and guiding Delhi to a competitive total of 245 for 9 at the end of 50 overs.

Pant’s performance marked a strong turnaround in his Vijay Hazare Trophy campaign. After managing just 5 off 9 balls against Andhra, the wicketkeeper-batter has now accumulated 75 runs across two innings, reasserting his presence at the domestic level.

Rishabh Pant eyes return to India’s ODI setup

While Pant remains a key figure in India’s Test side, his white-ball opportunities have been limited in recent years. The 28-year-old last featured in an ODI during India’s 2024 series against Sri Lanka, where he played just one match and scored six runs.

Since the 2023 ODI World Cup, Pant has appeared in only one ODI for India. However, his innings against Gujarat could serve as a timely signal to the selectors as he pushes for a return to the ODI setup, potentially as a second-choice wicketkeeper behind KL Rahul, with the 2027 ODI World Cup in sight.

Pant is expected to feature in more Vijay Hazare Trophy matches, having not been included in India’s squad for the upcoming series against New Zealand, giving him further opportunities to strengthen his case.