Kohli returns to roots after 12 years, Delhi's Ranji Trophy thriller awaits

Star Indian batter Virat Kohli recently confirmed his availability for the upcoming Ranji Trophy 2024-25 match to be played between Delhi and Railways, starting on January 30. Kohli will return to India’s premier domestic first-class tournament after a gap of 12 years. Notably, the stalwart played his last game being in the 2012/13 season against Uttar Pradesh in Ghaziabad. 

Kohli’s decision to participate comes as no surprise as the BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) recently introduced new guidelines that instruct centrally contracted players to participate in domestic tournaments. The 10-point policy was made following India’s back-to-back Test series defeats against New Zealand and Australia, which raised concerns about the lack of match practice for senior players in the red-ball format. To address this, the BCCI emphasized the importance of featuring in domestic cricket to maintain form and fitness.

This policy has seen other Indian players like Rohit Sharma, Ravindra Jadeja, and Shubman Gill making themselves available for the ongoing Ranji Trophy season. The right-hander's return to the Ranji Trophy is a significant boost for the Delhi team, which is currently in a tight race for the knockout spots.

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After five rounds, Delhi sits fourth in Group D, trailing Tamil Nadu, Chandigarh, and Railways. With Tamil Nadu facing Chandigarh in the sixth round, Delhi's matches against Saurashtra and Railways will be important. A strong performance in these games could propel his state team into the quarterfinals.

Kohli excluded himself for Saurashtra game due to injury

Meanwhile, the veteran India stalwart Virat Kohli had earlier confirmed his availability for Delhi's game against Saurashtra, however, he was left out of the 21-member squad announced by the DDCA due to some injury concerns. The match against Railways concludes on February 2, just three days before the start of India’s ODI series against England, starting on February 6.