Virat Kohli brought to his knees by BCCI as batter’s Ranji comeback confirmed

After a 12-year gap, Team India batter Virat Kohli is reportedly set to play in India's premier domestic first-class tournament. According to reports, Virat Kohli has confirmed his availability for Delhi's final group-stage game against Railways in the 2024-25 season, which will be played from January 30 to February 2.

The second leg of the Ranji Trophy 2024-25 is set to begin on January 23. Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja have confirmed their availability for the Delhi vs. Saurashtra match in Rajkot. Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, and Yashasvi Jaiswal are also expected to feature for their respective domestic teams in the upcoming round.

Virat Kohli Unlikely to Play in Upcoming Delhi vs Saurashtra Ranji Match

However, Virat Kohli is unlikely to play in the upcoming Ranji match between Delhi and Saurashtra due to ongoing recovery from neck pain, as reported by ESPNcricinfo. The 36-year-old batter last played in the Ranji Trophy in November 2012, when he represented Delhi in a match against Uttar Pradesh.

Kohli is still recovering from neck pain, for which he received an injection on January 8, three days after the conclusion of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Sydney. However, Kohli confirmed his availability for Delhi's Ranji Trophy match against Railways, as confirmed by Delhi head coach Sarandeep Singh.

Only Three Days Between Ranji Match and Start of ODI Series Against England

Virat Kohli's participation in Delhi's Ranji Trophy match against Railways remains uncertain. It is unclear if he has informed the Indian team management about his plans. If the Ranji match ends on February 2, there will be only three days before the start of the ODI series against England on February 6.

The right-handed batter is part of the Team India squad for the England series and the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. Kohli is set to return to international cricket for the three-match ODI series against England. The Rohit Sharma-led team’s first match in the Champions Trophy is scheduled for February 20.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has introduced a set of 10 guidelines, one of which mandates the participation of players in domestic matches whenever they are available.

Virat Kohli Is a Once-in-a-Lifetime Cricketer - Sourav Ganguly

Former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly has come out in support of Kohli amid his recent struggles during the Australia tour. Speaking at an event in Kolkata, Ganguly described Kohli as a "once-in-a-lifetime cricketer" and the greatest white-ball player.

"Virat Kohli is a once-in-a-lifetime cricketer, like Jhulan is, like Mithali is. To score 80 hundreds in international cricket is incredible. To me, he is the greatest white-ball player the world has seen."

Kohli had a disappointing outing in the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, which India lost 1-3. He scored only 190 runs in nine innings at an average of 23.75. His only significant contribution was an unbeaten century in the second innings of the Perth Test, with no other standout performances in the series.

Also read: 'Only openers are fixed': Axar Patel exposes chaos in Indian T20I batting order