Kohli and Pant Encouraged to Play for Delhi: DDCA Official

Synopsis

India's star cricketers Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant are encouraged to participate in Delhi's last two Ranji Trophy matches, according to a DDCA official. After a disappointing run in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, their involvement will depend on multiple factors, including their overall workload and recommendations from the NCA.

Key Takeaways

Kohli and Pant are invited to play for Delhi.
Both players struggled in the recent Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
DDCA emphasizes player workload and management advice.
Gautam Gambhir highlights the need for Test players in domestic cricket.
Delhi's upcoming matches include Saurashtra and Railways.

New Delhi, Jan 14 (NationPress) India's prominent batters Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant are highly encouraged to participate in Delhi's final two matches of the Ranji Trophy after being included in the probable squad by the Delhi District Cricket Association (DDCA). Both athletes experienced a challenging stint in the five-Test Border-Gavaskar Trophy series against Australia, where India faced a 1-3 defeat, marking the end of a decade-long supremacy. This also meant that India missed the opportunity to compete in their third consecutive World Test Championship final.

However, the ultimate choice regarding their involvement in the domestic matches lies with the players and team management. A DDCA source informed IANS on Tuesday, 'Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant are our star players, and they are most welcome to play for Delhi, but we must consider their workload and any advice they receive from the NCA and the Indian team management.'

Throughout the five Tests, Kohli only managed to score 190 runs, getting out eight times while attempting to play deliveries outside the off-stump. In contrast, Pant gathered 255 runs, including a half-century, averaging 28.33.

Both players fell short of expectations and were unable to reproduce their previous brilliance Down Under. Notably, Kohli last represented Delhi in the Ranji Trophy back in 2012.

Following India's defeat in Sydney, India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir stressed the importance of Test players taking part in domestic first-class cricket whenever possible. The wicketkeeper-batter Pant is absent from the Indian squad for the forthcoming five-match T20I series against England, commencing January 22 at Eden Gardens in Kolkata.

Earlier today, India’s Test and ODI captain Rohit Sharma joined Mumbai's squad for training sessions in preparation for the second phase of the 2024-25 Ranji Trophy, which kicks off on January 23.

Delhi’s next match is against Saurashtra in Rajkot starting January 23, followed by the final group game against Railways at Arun Jaitley Stadium, set to begin on January 30.