Ranji Trophy 2024-25: Virat Kohli failed to impress on his return to Ranji Trophy after 12 years.
It was supposed to be a moment of joy not only for Delhites, but for fans across India. It was the homecoming of Virat Kohli in the Ranji Trophy after 12 long years. Fans packed the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi, their faces lit with excitement at the thought of watching their hero take the field in domestic cricket for the first time since 2011. The air was thick with anticipation as Kohli strode out to bat against team Railways.
Under-whelming return
Virat Kohli’s return to the Ranji Trophy after 12 years and three months lasted for 15 balls after Railways seamer Himanshu Sangwan, a ticket collector who worked at the New Delhi Railway Station, got the big prize.
The euphoria around Kohli lasted 23 minutes as Sangwan sent his off-stump for a run. A dejected Kohli shook his head, stayed there for a fraction of a second, watched the clattered stumps, and slowly walked off to the dugout.
Kohli was greeted with a huge roar after Yash Dhull’s dismissal. The crowd at the Arun Jaitley Stadium was waiting for this moment for the past three days. The administrators were busy having one meeting after another to get everything right and the broadcasters had built up the match for this moment.
Fifth stump, Kohli’s familiar foe
Kohli had hit a brilliant straight drive for a boundary in the delivery prior to his dismissal, and attempted a similar shot again. However, Sangwan pulled his length and managed to deceive Kohli, castling the India batting great to shatter the fans' hopes, who came in huge numbers to watch the batter play. Kohli, who is known for getting out on the 5th stumps ball, went struck and had no clue this time on Sangwan’s in-swinging ball.
Sangwan, understandably, was ecstatic. The young fast bowler from Najafgarh had just taken the wicket of one of the game’s modern greats. His celebration reflected the significance of the moment – it was a landmark wicket, not just for him but for all of Delhi cricket. For the crowd at Kotla, however, the jubilation was short-lived. What began as a day of high anticipation ended with a quiet walk out of the stadium, mirroring the somber mood that followed Kohli’s early departure.
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Kohli’s lean patch has been selectors’ headache
Kohli joined Delhi's Ranji squad on the back of a torrid time with the bat. The batter scored only one century and failed to register a single half-century throughout five Tests during the previous season. His lone century came in the opening Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Perth, but he couldn't build on the momentum, managing less than 100 runs in total across the remaining four matches of the series.
This lean patch, both for Kohli and team India’s batting line-up, prompted the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to mandate the participation of international players in the Ranji Trophy. The move was seen as a way to provide top-tier players with the opportunity to regain form and sharpen their skills in the domestic circuit. Kohli, always one to rise to challenges, was eager to get back to the basics.
Kohli spent the preceding days training with the Delhi Ranji team and took the field on Day 1 under the captaincy of Ayush Badoni. His presence in the squad had been a source of excitement, and his first ball in the competition was anticipated as a turning point in his career.
The rough patch which Kohli has been going on must be turning out to be a real headache for the BCCI and the selectors. Given the reputation that he carries, it becomes difficult for someone to believe the kind of form he is going through. Keeping in mind the performance of team India in the ongoing World Test Championship, the selectors and management might consider giving a last try to the senior players including Virat Kohli, or will further go ahead with the young players who have been warming the bench for a long time now.
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