New Delhi: India’s batting superstar Virat Kohli joined Delhi training on Tuesday ahead of his return to Ranji Trophy after 12 years. The former India skipper had last played in the premier domestic trophy event in 2012.
He had pulled out of Delhi’s previous game against Saurashtra with a ‘neck sprain’ after the BCCI made it mandatory for all national team players to play in domestic cricket.
The 36-year-old Kohli has been included in Delhi’s squad for their game against Railways from January 30, having last played in Ranji Trophy in 2012 against Uttar Pradesh in Ghaziabad.
The right hand batter arrives at the Feroz Shah Kotla ground at around 9am and was part of the team huddle. He did some warm-up exercises and then participated to play football for around 15 minutes.
Delhi’s head coach Sarandeep Singh monitored the training session and Kohli looked relaxed in the midst of his new team-mates, most of whom would be playing him with the first time.
Form slump
Kohli has been under severe pressure due to a prolonged form slump in Test cricket, scoring only two centuries in the last five years.
His weakness against the moving ball outside the off stump was exploited to the hilt by Australia in their 3-1 win over India in the recent Border-Gavaskar series.
It led to many questioning Kohli’s position in the team despite him scoring a century in the second innings of the first Test at Perth.
Virat Kohli is playing a circle football game with the Delhi Ranji team today.👌(ESPNcricinfo).
– King Kohli having fun with boys in practice session..!!!! 🐐#ViratKohli #ranjitrophy2025 pic.twitter.com/9Vs9rLpKvu
— TigerNation 🐯 (@IamGanesh1718) January 28, 2025
The all-round criticism of the Indian team after shoddy display in Australia forced the BCCI to make it mandatory for all cricketers to turn up for their respective sides in Ranji Trophy.
Thus Kohli, ODI and Test captain Rohit Sharma, both under pressure after struggling in Australia, have turned up for Delhi and Mumbai, respectively.
Rohit and Rishabh Pant (Delhi) were dismissed cheaply while experienced all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja claimed 12 wickets for Saurashtra and Shubman Gill scored a hundred for Punjab.
Pant, Rohit, Yashasvi Jaiswal (Mumbai) won’t be part of upcoming Ranji Trophy match squads as they will be part of the Indian team in the ODI series against England that begins in Nagpur on February 6 though KL Rahul will play for Karnataka.
Virat Kohli is in Delhi’s squad for their game against Railways from January 30, having last played in Ranji Trophy in 2012 against Uttar Pradesh in Ghaziabad. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
