After close to 12 years, Virat Kohli is all set to make his return to the Ranji Trophy. The former India skipper is expected to play for Delhi in their next fixture, scheduled to begin on January 30.
Previously, Kohli was excluded from Delhi’s squad against Saurashtra due to stiffness in the neck.
Sources within the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) confirmed on Monday that he will be available for the match against Railways.
“Virat Kohli is available for the Ranji Trophy fixture against Railways on January 30. He had some neck stiffness, so he wasn’t available for the match against Saurashtra. We are really happy that he has decided to represent Delhi after all these years,” sources said.
Kohli has played more than 20 Ranji Trophy matches for Delhi, scoring 1575 runs. His record includes five centuries.
One of the biggest moments of Kohli’s early career came in 2006 while playing for Delhi against Karnataka at the Arun Jaitley Stadium – then Feroz Shah Kotla. During that match, Kohli’s father passed away. Kohli, who was unbeaten on 40 overnight, was deeply shaken by the news. Despite his grief, he returned to the field the next day and scored a crucial 90 runs.
Following his innings, Kohli attended his father’s funeral, a testament to his extraordinary resilience and dedication to the game. Of late, Kohli has struggled for consistency in Test cricket, enduring a lean patch despite flashes of brilliance. While he scored a century in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy opener against Australia in Perth, his overall performance in the five-match series was patchy. Subsequently, there was demand that he plays Ranji Trophy to get back in form.
