'Do you even know its history?' - R Ashwin on fan's 'Ranji Trophy is blessed' comment on Virat Kohli's return

Virat Kohli returned to the Ranji Trophy scene after a gap of 12 years and three months. However, he could only manage six runs off 15 balls, getting dismissed by Railways pacer Himanshu Sangwan. Fans came in large numbers to watch the Delhi batter in action at the Arun Jaitley Stadium earlier this week. On Day 1, around 28,000 people watch the 36-year-old from close quarters and the following days also saw similar numbers.

However, Ravichandran Ashwin feels every Ranji Trophy game should witness such crowds. Apart from this, the former India off-spinner was also disappointed with a particular Kohli fan, who tweeted that the Ranji Trophy was blessed with the return of the former India captain. 

"It's a great thing when it comes to Virat Kohli. He is extremely motivated. I know that. His intention is to play Test cricket and do well. I actually think he has a lot left in the tank. But all said and done, the crowd that turned up, it was great. Such crowds should be there for every Ranji Trophy match," Ashwin said on his YouTube channel 'Ash Ki Baat'.

Sachin Tendulkar, who is a legendary cricketer, used to play the Ranji Trophy at all times: R Ashwin

Speaking about the 'Ranji Trophy is blessed with Kohli's return' post on X, Ashwin reminded the fan that the legendary Sachin Tendulkar played the Ranji Trophy whenever he could.

"I saw one tweet saying 'Ranji Trophy is blessed'. I would just say, pay some attention. Do you even know the history of the Ranji Trophy? It has been going on for so many years. It has been a premier tournament," said Ashwin.

"Sachin Tendulkar, who is a legendary cricketer, used to play the Ranji Trophy at all times. Players benefit from playing in the tournament. For cricket, players are not important, but for players, cricket is very important," he added.

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Meanwhile, Ashwin heaped praise on Himanshu, who bowled a beautiful delivery to get the better of Kohli on Day 2 of the round seven clash between Delhi and Railways.

"Himanshu Sangwan delivered a phenomenal ball. He is not an ordinary Ranji Trophy bowler. He is a tested performer. He is a gold-dust performer. He bowled an exceptional delivery. There was a gap between pad and bat, it was a class delivery. The ball deserved a wicket," said Ashwin.

"I saw him (Virat Kohli) batting. His bat was coming down a little faster. Sometimes, you have to adjust to the speed. When you face 140-145kmph bowlers regularly, you need to adjust to the pace. Time in the middle, nothing can beat it. The fandom and love that Virat Kohli gets is enviable. I am so happy for Virat that he has these sorts of fans. Totally happy for Virat Kohli," he added.