India’s star batter, Virat Kohli, may be seen in action in the Ranji Trophy after 12 years, and he is likely to be part of Delhi’s XI against Kerala team, starting on January 30. Kohli was initially omitted from Delhi’s next game, scheduled for January 23 against Saurashtra, because of neck stiffness. But on Monday, the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) announced that he would be fit to take the field for the match against Railways later this month.
A report that originated from the DDCA insider reveals that Kohli has fully recovered from the injury and will be able to play for Delhi in the knockout stage of the domestic tournament. “The legendary cricketer Virat Kohli is fit for the Ranji Trophy match against Railways on 30th January. He had some neck stiffness, which did not make him fit enough for the match against Saurashtra.” A senior DDCA official concurred: “We are really happy that he has decided to represent Delhi after all these years,” he said.
Kohli’s record in the Ranji Trophy has noted him for 23 matches for Delhi with a total of 1574 runs with a remarkable average of 50.77. He has five centuries to his credit, a volume that demonstrates his reliability and competence at the domestic level. A particular shining moment was the 2009-2010 season, where he had an aggregate of 374 runs in three matches, an average of 93.50. The last Ranji appearance he played for India was in the 2012-2013 season against Uttar Pradesh at Ghaziabad, where he added 57 valuable runs to the Indian score.
It, however, came as good news to the team from Delhi because it is believed that his inclusion in the competition will inspire other youngsters in the team. Kohli, more than a decade since he last played in the Ranji Trophy, offers his service to the tournament once again.
Join our whatsapp group for Latest updates