Virat Kohli during a practice session ahead of Delhi’s Ranji match against Railways at the Arun Jaitley Cricket Stadium in New Delhi on Wednesday, January 29, 2025.
| Photo Credit: R.V. MOORTHY
In the first week of November 2012, Virat Kohli was all of 10 Tests old. In ODI cricket, his century count was 13, far away from the record milestone of 50 that he has accomplished.
That is how long it has been since Kohli played a Ranji Trophy match for Delhi. When he featured in domestic cricket’s most prestigious offering all those years ago, against Uttar Pradesh in Ghaziabad, among his teammates was India head coach Gautam Gambhir. The final day of the match was the occasion of his 24th birthday.
About to be 37 this year, Kohli is in a vastly different stage of his career as he returns to the Delhi team for the final group game of the 2024/25 Ranji Trophy season against Railways at the Arun Jaitley Stadium from Thursday.
His presence has understandably ramped up the level of interest around a contest that would have otherwise meandered to its conclusion without hyperbole.
In view of Kohli’s star value, the Delhi & District Cricket Association (DDCA) has decided to allow free entry into the North End and Old Club House stands for the fans, and strengthen the security presence. The official broadcaster, meanwhile, has made late arrangements for the match to be streamed live.
What will really matter over the next four days, however, is whether the middle-order batter is able to amass a substantial score on a pitch expected to aid the seamers.
The purpose of playing this game, after all, is to find some form on the back of a lean patch that has carried on for a bit too long. Worryingly, in Australia, he was unable to find a way out from his pattern of dismissals outside off-stump.
Succeeding in this one-off Ranji appearance is unlikely to rid him of all his concerns at the highest level. But what a chanceless hundred here could do is provide Kohli a bit of respite heading into the ICC Champions Trophy. And just in case it matters, it could also help Delhi come away with an outright win and sneak into the quarterfinals.
Published – January 29, 2025 06:32 pm IST
