Watch: Virat Kohli lands and starts prep in Delhi for his Ranji Trophy return after 13 years
Published - 28 Jan 2025, 10:29 AM | Updated - 28 Jan 2025, 10:35 AM
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Indian cricket icon Virat Kohli’s return to the Ranji Trophy after 13 years has been the most talked about thing for the past week, especially after the BCCI made it mandatory for all players to participate in domestic cricket if they are not on national duty.
However, the former India National Cricket Team captain had to miss Delhi’s last Ranji Trophy 2024-25 match against Saurashtra in Rajkot due to neck pain, but he is set to turn up for the side in their next encounter against the Railways at the Arun Jaitley Cricket Stadium, starting on January 30.
Virat Kohli’s dashing arrival in Delhi goes viral ahead of Ranji Trophy 2024-25 match
Virat Kohli, who last played in the first-class tournament against Uttar Pradesh in 2012, is expected to train with the Delhi cricket team on Tuesday (January 28) after being named in the 20-member squad for their Ranji Trophy 2024-25 encounter against the Railways at home.
Ahead of his much-awaited Ranji return, Virat Kohli landed in Delhi, and the pictures and videos of the Indian cricket team star are all over the internet. In the viral videos, the right-handed batter can be seen making a dashing exit from the Indira Gandhi Airport. The 36-year-old was seen in his casual avatar, wearing the black puffer jacket complemented with a red cap.
Watch the viral videos here:
Virat Kohli reached Delhi for The Ranji Trophy Match against Railways. pic.twitter.com/KdYBbJSq95
— Virat Kohli Fan Club (@Trend_VKohli) January 28, 2025
📍 Delhi 👑🖤#ViratKohli #RanjiTrophy @imVkohli pic.twitter.com/qI9NyvzDCT
— virat_kohli_18_club (@KohliSensation) January 27, 2025
Earlier, Kohli was seen practicing in Mumbai alongside the former Indian batting coach Sanjay Bangar for his return to the Ranji action, as well as for the upcoming three-match ODI series against England at home. During the session, Virat engaged with the young cricketers and signed autographs for the fans.
Kohli had a forgettable outing in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 in Australia. His numbers in 2024 were far from impressive, and now he would be hoping to regain his rhythm in the upcoming matches to be able to silence his critics by delivering match-winning performances in the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025, starting on February 19 in Karachi.
DDCA opens gates and tightens security for Virat Kohli's Ranji return
Meanwhile, the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) is boosting security at the Arun Jaitley Stadium to ensure everything runs smoothly for Virat Kohli's much-anticipated return to domestic cricket.
Additionally, the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) is also opening up the North End and the Old Club House sections of the stadium, as they are expecting over 10,000 excited fans to watch Kohli in action for Delhi.
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DDCA secretary Ashok Sharma was quoted as saying by PTI: “We know Virat’s presence raises the profile of the match. Normally, we have 10 to 12 private security personnel for a regular Ranji match, but we will increase security so that Virat can train without any disturbance. We have also informed the Delhi Police about the match.”
He added, “Gates Nos. 7, 15, and 16 will be open to the public. We will arrange for drinking water, and the toilets will be clean and hygienic. Come and enjoy the match. Of course, there will be security checks before allowing the public to enter.”
Delhi boys are having the time of their lifetime while practicing with the legend, Virat Kohli. 👌🏼 #RanjiTrophy2025 pic.twitter.com/nsFbMjWvkW
— Prathamesh Avachare (@onlyprathamesh) January 28, 2025
Here’s the Delhi squad for the Ranji Trophy 2024-25 match against Railways:
Ayush Badoni (C), Virat Kohli, Pranav Rajvanshi (wk), Vansh Bedi (wk), Sanat Sangwan, Arpit Rana, Mayank Gusain, Shivam Sharma, Sumit Mathur, Money Grewal, Harsh Tyagi, Siddhant Sharma, Navdeep Saini, Yash Dhull, Vaibhav Kandpal, Rahul Gehlot, Jitesh Singh, Gagan Vats, Jonty Sidhu, Himmat Singh.
