Many games in the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26 are not available on live TV or online streaming. Supporters are unable to watch matches featuring star players such as Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.
Who is handling the television coverage?
Star Sports is handling the television coverage, while JioCinema is offering free online streaming, but only for selected matches. On days when several games are played, some stadiums do not have live coverage at all.
Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have come back to domestic cricket after a long time, making their return a big and special moment. Both players took part in the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26 on December 24.
Virat Kohli is representing Delhi in domestic cricket after nearly 15 years, while Rohit Sharma is playing for Mumbai again for the first time since 2018. Their comeback comes after a BCCI rule that requires centrally contracted players to take part in domestic matches when they are not playing for India.
Kohli’s game against Andhra Pradesh is taking place at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru without spectators and without live TV coverage. Rohit’s match between Mumbai and Sikkim in Jaipur is also not available to watch online.
The Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26 gives both Kohli and Rohit a chance to get game time ahead of upcoming international tournaments, like the 2027 ODI World Cup. They are likely to appear in at least two games each.
What did fans say?
At the same time, cricket fans across India are upset because they cannot watch their stars live. Many fans have come to the stadiums, but those watching from home are left frustrated due to no live broadcast.
Another indian cricket fan asked, “Is BCCI deliberately not showing Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma’s VHT matches live to curb superstar culture? Then why are they streaming only selective Vijay Hazare Trophy matches, but not showing the ones featuring Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma at all? SHAME ON BCCI.”
“BCCI is telecasting Pondicherry vs Tamil Nadu and Hyderabad vs Uttar Pradesh, but there’s no live coverage for Virat and Rohit’s match and neither Maharashtra vs Punjab, which is one of the hottest matches of the Vijay Hazare Trophy,” posted another with a frustrated meme.
“Dear BCCI, if Star Sports isn’t willing to telecast Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli’s Vijay Hazare Trophy matches, then at least provide Wi-Fi to fans inside the stadium so they can livestream it for us. We really want to see our superstars live,” wrote one of them.