Virat Kohli’s ODI momentum shows no signs of slowing down. The experienced right hander continues to stamp his authority in the format, delivering another commanding performance in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. Playing against Gujarat at the Centre of Excellence on Friday, the former India captain scored a fluent 77 from just 61 deliveries, reinforcing his red hot form this season.
Kohli arrived at the crease after the early dismissal of Priyansh Arya and immediately took control. He found the boundaries with ease and never allowed Gujarat’s opening bowlers to settle. Batting with freedom and authority in Bengaluru, Kohli brought up his half century in only 29 balls and looked well set for a much bigger score.
During his stand with Arpit Rana, Kohli dominated the strike in a 72 run partnership for the second wicket. Rana was eventually dismissed in the 14th over, giving Gujarat a breakthrough, but Kohli continued to dictate the tempo of the innings.
The Delhi star appeared on course for what would have been his 59th List A hundred in his 344th appearance. However, against the flow of play, he was stumped after being drawn out of his crease as the ball turned past his outside edge.
What stood out most was Kohli’s evolving approach. Traditionally known for his classical ODI batting, he operated in a much higher gear for most of the innings. Reports noted that he even experimented with reverse sweeps against a left arm spinner, a shot rarely associated with his game.
Since the South Africa series, Kohli has clearly embraced a more aggressive mindset, especially in the powerplay. He has consistently looked to seize control early and prevent bowlers from setting the tone. His innings against Gujarat marked his sixth consecutive fifty plus score in List A cricket. His recent sequence reads 74 not out against Australia, 135 and 102 in the first two ODIs against South Africa, 65 not out in the third ODI, 131 against Andhra in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, and now 77 versus Gujarat.
Earlier in the tournament, Kohli had already produced a memorable 131 against Andhra, comfortably guiding Delhi through a 299 run chase. During that knock, he became the fastest player to reach 16,000 runs in men’s List A cricket, achieving the milestone in just 330 innings. He also now holds the record for being the quickest to every 1,000 run landmark beyond 10,000 in the format.
Kohli’s form over the past two months of 2025 has been exceptional. He was recently named Player of the Series after scoring two centuries and a fifty against South Africa. That run came shortly after a tough patch in Australia, where he registered back to back ducks before finishing the tour with a composed unbeaten seventy.
With Kohli having stepped away from Test cricket, speculation has grown around his long term ODI future. For now, his bat continues to provide the clearest answer. Meanwhile, the board has instructed centrally contracted players to participate in at least two rounds of the Vijay Hazare Trophy. Having featured against Andhra and Gujarat, it remains uncertain whether the 37 year old will take part in Delhi’s upcoming matches.
