Ranji Trophy 2024-25: Virat Kohli gets felicitated by DDCA for playing 100 Test matches

Virat Kohli was felicitated by the Delhi & District Cricket Association (DDCA) after Day 2 of the Ranji Trophy clash between Delhi and Railways at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Friday, January 31.

The legendary cricketer was honoured for playing 100 Test matches for India, a milestone he registered back in 2022 in Mohali against Sri Lanka. The former India captain was presented with a shawl and a memento by DDCA president Rohan Jaitley.

Only two players played 100 or more Tests for India from Delhi. Fast bowler Ishant Sharma and opening batter Virender Sehwag played 105 and 104 Test matches, respectively. Pictures and videos from the felicitation ceremony saw Kohli taking a close look at the beautiful memento after it was gifted to him.

The 36-year-old is currently playing the round seven clash of the tournament between Delhi and Railways. This is his first appearance in India's premier domestic red-ball competition since November 2012. Around 28,000 fans turned up to the stadium on Day 1 to see the iconic batter in action, and the case was similar on the following day as well. Delhi opted to bowl after winning the toss. On Day 2, Kohli eventually got his chance to bat. However, his time at the crease was cut short by right-arm seamer Himanshu Sangwan. The jam-packed stadium soon started to empty the venue, resulting in stun silence following his dismissal.

The Railways' speedster bowled a beautiful delivery that nipped back in sharply after pitching. Kohli tried to play an expansive drive down the ground, but he left a huge gap between his bat and pad. The ball sneaked in to disturb the stumps as Kohli was dismissed for just six runs after facing 15 balls. Later in the day, Delhi captain Ayush Badoni (99) and Sumit Mathur (78*) played fine knocks to help their team take a 93-run lead at Stumps on Day 2.

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Kohli will want to make amends if he gets another opportunity to bat in the second innings. He will link up with the national team after this clash as he has been named in India's squad for the upcoming ODI series against England, which begins on February 6 with the first game to be played in Nagpur.