Virat Kohli to defy BCCI's orders? Batter yet to confirm Ranji Trophy participation

The Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) has stated that they have not received any official confirmation from Virat Kohli regarding his availability for the second leg of the Ranji Trophy season. Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant were included in the probable list for the first half of the tournament.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has urged players to take domestic cricket seriously. However, Virat Kohli's last appearance in the Ranji Trophy was in 2012, which has drawn criticism from former players like Sunil Gavaskar and Irfan Pathan, who have pointed out this gap in his domestic career.

DDCA Opens Up on Virat Kohli's Participation for Ranji Trophy 2024-25

According to a report by news agency ANI, the Delhi and District Cricket Association stated that they have not received any official communication from Virat regarding his availability for the Ranji season.

A source from DDCA stated, "We have not received an official intimation from Virat Kohli on his availability for the Ranji season."

The second half of the Ranji Trophy 2024-25 season is set to begin on Thursday, January 23, with Delhi scheduled to play against Saurashtra in an away match.

Notably, Kohli has been included in Delhi's Ranji Trophy probable squad but his participation is subject to availability.

ये नीचे विराट, पंत और राणा के तीन नाम जोड़े गए हैं लेकिन कल रात तक विराट ने खेलने को लेकर ओके नहीं कहा था।#RanjiTrophy https://t.co/boeWiRPnQu pic.twitter.com/4cXRtoFNIO

— Abhishek Tripathi / अभिषेक त्रिपाठी (@abhishereporter) January 14, 2025

Virat Kohli Had Challenging 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy Campaign

Virat had a tough 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy campaign in Australia. He scored an impressive century in the first Test at Perth, which helped India win by 295 runs, but his form declined as the series progressed. India lost the second Test by 10 wickets, and Australia eventually won the series 3-1.

Kohli managed only 190 runs in nine innings at an average of just 23.75. After the series defeat, India missed out on a spot in the World Test Championship final for the first time. Kohli is expected to return to action in the upcoming three-match ODI series against England, starting February 6 in Nagpur.

Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill Show Commitment Towards Domestic Cricket

The BCCI has recently introduced a directive encouraging players to participate in domestic cricket, which has received a positive response, with many players showing up. However, senior players like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Ravindra Jadeja have not yet featured in the ongoing domestic season.

Rohit Sharma, who is facing criticism for his form and under pressure about his place in the team, has shown his commitment by attending Mumbai's practice session ahead of the second half of the Ranji Trophy season. However, he has not yet been confirmed whether he will play in the upcoming fixtures.

Shubman Gill has confirmed his availability for Punjab's next Ranji Trophy match against Karnataka, which is scheduled to start on January 23 at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. While Punjab’s squad has not been officially announced yet, Gill’s inclusion would be a significant boost for the team.

Also read: Watch: Rohit Sharma partners Ajinkya Rahane in Mumbai Ranji team to save his career amid downfall