The Vijay Hazare Trophy has witnessed something extraordinary this season - a full-blown fan invasion. Stadiums that usually host modest domestic crowds have suddenly been flooded with thousands of supporters, proving one undeniable truth: Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma don’t just play cricket, they move masses.
At the Sawai Mansingh Stadium, the scenes were nothing short of sensational. Fans packed the stands to catch a glimpse of Rohit Sharma’s return to the domestic circuit. The “Hitman” stepping back into Vijay Hazare cricket was enough to turn a regular fixture into a blockbuster event.
A similar frenzy was expected for Virat Kohli as well. However, fans were left disappointed when Delhi’s match against Andhra was shifted from the iconic M. Chinnaswamy Stadium to the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence, denying spectators the chance to witness one of the game’s greatest modern icons in action from the stands.
The decision is rooted in a tragedy that Bengaluru cricket fans will never forget. After the IPL final, celebrations at the Chinnaswamy Stadium turned catastrophic. A stampede during RCB’s trophy event claimed 11 innocent lives, leaving dozens injured and an entire city shaken. Since that night, the stadium has effectively carried an invisible warning label - “unfit for large-scale events.”
With the holiday season around the corner and emotions expected to run high, the government is clearly unwilling to gamble with public safety. Even a figure as massive as Virat Kohli is not enough to override that caution.
Still, Kohli found a way to trend. A picture of Virat alongside Ishant Sharma instantly sparked nostalgia across social media. Fans quickly jumped on the “then vs now” wave, reminding everyone of a time when these players were young, hungry, and rising through the same domestic system they now return to as legends.
What stood out even more was the fact that fans couldn’t even watch these matches on television. Despite that, Rohit-Virat supporters made their presence felt - loud, passionate, and impossible to ignore. The message was clear: if iconic players are participating, the matches deserve to be broadcast.
The overwhelming response has reignited an important conversation. Should the BCCI rethink how domestic cricket is presented when superstars take the field? And more importantly, should Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma play more domestic matches to strengthen the connection between fans and grassroots cricket?
One thing is certain - the pull of these legends remains unmatched. Domestic cricket may be about development, but when Virat and Rohit walk in, it becomes a spectacle. And the fans have spoken.
Also Watch: No crowd, no roar: Virat Kohli’s Vijay Hazare return faces a fan ban
