Anticipation’s Echo: Kohli’s Mastery Breaks the Silence in Vijay Hazare 2025-26

On a rare occasion, Virat Kohli found himself with only a small group of fans cheering him on. Usually, packed stadiums and lively crowds are the norm in his world. However, on this particular Wednesday, the atmosphere at the BCCI Centre of Excellence was unusually quiet. Kohli’s match-winning century in the Vijay Hazare Trophy against Andhra (131 runs off 101 balls, featuring 14 fours and 3 sixes) – his first List A century in domestic cricket in nearly 17 years – was met with just a few claps and cheers.

The match was played behind closed doors, far from the city, and only a handful of fans had gathered at the field’s perimeter. The police tasked with ensuring security occasionally dispersed them, reminiscent of shooing away flies from fruit.

One determined fan climbed onto a truck for a better view, but was quickly instructed to get down and the vehicle was asked to leave.

Within the venue, ball kids, ground staff, and Andhra players had a unique chance to interact with Kohli, requesting autographs after Delhi’s match against Andhra.

Ricky Bhui, an Andhra player who also scored a century that day (122 runs off 105 balls, with 11 fours and 7 sixes), remarked on the special experience, saying, “As a player, you never imagine playing alongside or against Virat Kohli. It was like a dream for all domestic cricketers and our team.”

Published on Dec 24, 2025.