Ranji Trophy: Kohli Makes Comeback as Delhi Opt to Bowl First Against Railways
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Synopsis
Virat Kohli returns to the Ranji Trophy after 12 years, as Delhi wins the toss and decides to bowl first against Railways. The match is crucial for Delhi's hopes of advancing in the tournament.
Key Takeaways
- Virat Kohli returns to the Ranji Trophy after 12 years.
- Delhi won the toss and elected to bowl first.
- Competition is crucial for Delhi to advance in the tournament.
- Fans showed immense enthusiasm, waiting from early morning.
- Railways will be captained by Suraj Ahuja.
New Delhi, Jan 30 (NationPress) Virat Kohli makes his return to the Ranji Trophy after a lengthy absence of 12 years, as Delhi won the toss and chose to bowl first against Railways in their Elite Group D encounter at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Thursday.
Kohli’s last appearance in the Ranji Trophy for Delhi was back in November 2012 against Uttar Pradesh in Ghaziabad. Adhering to the BCCI policy encouraging Indian players to participate in domestic cricket whenever possible, Kohli has made his long-awaited return to the Ranji Trophy.
This comeback occurs during a crucial phase for Delhi, currently sitting in sixth place with 14 points, facing a narrow mathematical chance to advance to the Ranji Trophy knockout stages. They require a comprehensive victory against the fourth-placed Railways, but even that may not guarantee a spot in the knockouts.
The excitement to see Kohli play has drawn massive crowds, with security officials revealing that fans began queuing as early as 3 am to gain entry to the venue. The atmosphere outside was electric, with supporters chanting for both Kohli and RCB. In response to the overwhelming turnout, DDCA sources informed that Gate Number 18 was opened alongside Gates 16 and 17.
On the flip side, Railways will be captained by Suraj Ahuja as their regular captain Pratham Singh is sidelined due to injury.
For Delhi, Kohli takes the place of Jonty Sidhu, while Pranav Rajvanshi steps in for Rishabh Pant and pacer Money Grewal replaces left-arm spinner Harsh Tyagi.
Playing XIs
Delhi: Sanat Sangwan, Arpit Rana, Yash Dhull, Virat Kohli, Ayush Badoni (c), Pranav Rajvanshi (wk), Sumit Mathur, Shivam Sharma, Navdeep Saini, Money Grewal, and Siddhant Sharma.
Railways: Anchit Yadav, Vivek Singh, Mohammad Saif, Suraj Ahuja (c), Upendra Yadav (wk), Bhargav Merai, Karn Sharma, Ayan Chaudhary, Himanshu Sangwan, Kunal Yadav, and Rahul Sharma.
