Virat Kohli continued his impressive run in List A cricket, producing a commanding 77 off 61 balls for Delhi against Gujarat in his final outing of the season in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. While the former India captain narrowly missed out on a century, his innings once again underlined the evolution in his batting approach.
Kohli walked in early after the fall of Priyansh Arya and immediately took control of the innings. Displaying fluent strokeplay and sharp intent, the 37-year-old punished anything loose from Gujarat’s opening bowlers Arzan Nagwaswalla and Chintan Gaja, scoring freely during the powerplay.
The experienced batter brought up his half-century in just 29 balls, looking set for another big score. He dominated a 72-run second-wicket partnership with Arpit Rana, rotating strike efficiently while finding boundaries at regular intervals.
Dismissal Against the Run of Play
Kohli appeared well on course for what would have been his 59th List A century, but his innings ended unexpectedly when he was stumped off spinner Vishal Jayswal. Attempting to advance down the track, Kohli missed the turning delivery as the wicketkeeper completed a sharp stumping.
Despite the dismissal, the innings stood out for Kohli’s attacking mindset and shot selection. Known for his classical ODI batting, Kohli surprised many by unleashing innovative strokes, including the reverse sweep, to disrupt the spinners’ rhythm.
Consistent Run of Scores
The knock against Gujarat marked Kohli’s sixth consecutive 50-plus score in List A cricket, highlighting his consistency across formats. His recent List A scores include:
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74* vs Australia
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135, 102, and 65* vs South Africa
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131 vs Andhra (Vijay Hazare Trophy)
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77 vs Gujarat (Vijay Hazare Trophy)
Earlier in the tournament, Kohli had smashed a brilliant 131 against Andhra, helping Delhi chase down a stiff target with ease. During that innings, he surpassed Sachin Tendulkar to become the fastest batter to 16,000 List A runs, achieving the milestone in just 330 innings.
Kohli also holds the record for being the fastest to every 1,000-run milestone beyond 10,000 List A runs.
Rich Vein of Form
Kohli’s form over the past two months has been exceptional. He was recently named Player of the Series in India’s ODI series against South Africa, where he scored two centuries and a half-century.
After a brief lean patch earlier in the year, Kohli has responded emphatically, reinforcing his importance in India’s ODI setup. With senior players letting their performances speak, speculation around the future has taken a back seat.
Having featured in Delhi’s opening two Vijay Hazare Trophy matches, it remains unclear whether Kohli will play further games in the tournament.
