Virat Kohli's Vijay Hazare Trophy matches at Chinnaswamy stadium to be played behind closed doors due to...

By Vikas Singh Derek

Vikas Singh Derek has a Master's in Journalism and has written more than 50,000 articles. He currently works as a cricket content writer at Khel Now.

Published at :December 23, 2025 at 11:54 AM

Modified at :December 23, 2025 at 11:54 AM

Virat Kohli rewarded for his 52nd century, moves close to No.1 in ICC ODI rankings

(Courtesy : BCCI)

Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant are part of Delhi’s squad for the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26.

Indian Cricket Team batters Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant are set to play for Delhi in Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26 at Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. However, their fans won’t be able to watch them play as the match will be played behind closed doors, according to a report by ESPN Cricinfo.

The report suggested that the Karnataka Government has issued an order to the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) to conduct Delhi’s matches without spectators. Earlier, there were reports that KSCA would allow fans at two stands, which could have seated 2000-3000 spectators.

However, the proposal met strong opposition from the State Government, who termed it a “potential security and compliance issue”. Moreover, the Karnataka Government wants to prevent any chaos at the venue during the ongoing holiday season.

After a request from KSCA, a committee formed by the state government inspected the stadium’s infrastructure on Monday ahead of Delhi’s matches. The committee involved officials from police, public works, and fire safety departments. While the committee will submit the official report on Tuesday, sources revealed that it has urged the government to conduct the matches without fans.

Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant arrived in Bengaluru on Monday

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Meanwhile, Kohli and Pant arrived in Bengaluru on Monday and will start preparing at Chinnaswamy Stadium from Tuesday. Pant will captain Delhi in the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26.

They are scheduled to commence their stint with a clash against Andhra on December 24 at Chinnaswamy Stadium. Their second clash against Gujarat will also take place at the same stadium on December 26. Delhi are placed in Group D in the tournament.

Virat Kohli will play for which team in Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26?

Virat Kohli will play for Delhi in Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26.

Who will captain Delhi in Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26?

Rishabh Pant will captain Delhi in Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26.

When will Delhi play their opening game in Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26?

Delhi will play their opening game in Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26 against Andhra on December 24.

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Vikas Singh Derek

Vikas Singh Derek is a core cricket-lover since childhood and has always followed the sport both in his personal and professional life. He started his school life by watching cricket at home with family. Later, he played cricket on the field at local clubs during college. After his Master's in Journalism from Mumbai, he followed his passion by covering cricket news across various digital media. Since 2015, he has been an aspiring sports journalist and cricket content writer with over 50K+ articles.