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Vidarbha, Mumbai, and Gujarat stormed into the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ranji-trophy">Ranji Trophy</a> semifinals with commanding victories over Tamil Nadu, Haryana, and Saurashtra, respectively, on Tuesday (Feb 11).&nbsp;
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<h2 class="Paragraph SCXW158298121 BCX0" lang="EN-US" paraid="1465378515" paraeid="{55fdd13c-3c2b-4bca-85e7-11b3cc9920ac}{135}">Vidarbha crush Tamil Nadu by 198 Runs&nbsp;</h2>
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Riding on seamer Nachiket Bhute&rsquo;s three-wicket haul and Yash Rathod&rsquo;s well-crafted century, Vidarbha sealed a 198-run victory over Tamil Nadu in Nagpur.&nbsp;
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Set a mammoth target of 401, Tamil Nadu&rsquo;s batting lineup crumbled under pressure, getting bowled out for 202 in 61.1 overs. Bhute (3/19) and left-arm spinner Harsh Dubey (3/40) played crucial roles in dismantling Tamil Nadu&rsquo;s chase. Despite resistance from Pradosh Ranjan Paul (53 off 95 balls) and a fighting 57 from tail-ender Sonu Yadav, Tamil Nadu never looked in contention.&nbsp;
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/rohit-sharma-is-a-says-west-indies-batter-and-2004-champions-trophy-winner-8711295">'Rohit Sharma is a...', says West Indies batter &amp; 2004 Champions Trophy winner</a> Earlier, Vidarbha resumed the day with a 297-run lead and added 103 runs before getting bowled out for 272 in 92.3 overs. Rathod&rsquo;s patient 112 off 213 balls, supported by Harsh Dubey&rsquo;s 64, ensured a commanding lead. Tamil Nadu&rsquo;s Sai Kishore (5/78) put up a fight, but his effort went in vain as Vidarbha continued their dominant run in the tournament.&nbsp;
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Brief scores: Vidarbha 353 &amp; 272 in 92.3 overs (Yash Rathod 112, Harsh Dubey 64; Sai Kishore 5/78) beat Tamil Nadu 225 &amp; 202 in 61.1 overs (Pradosh Ranjan Paul 53, Sonu Yadav 57; Nachiket Bhute 3/19, Harsh Dubey 3/40) by 198 runs.&nbsp;
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<h2 class="Paragraph SCXW158298121 BCX0" lang="EN-US" paraid="368766133" paraeid="{55fdd13c-3c2b-4bca-85e7-11b3cc9920ac}{215}">Rahane, Dias star in Mumbai&rsquo;s 152-Run win over Haryana&nbsp;</h2>
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Defending champions Mumbai completed a fine comeback to defeat Haryana by 152 runs in Kolkata, thanks to a determined century by skipper <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ajinkya-rahane">Ajinkya Rahane</a> and a five-wicket haul from pacer Royston Dias.&nbsp;
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Rahane, resuming on 88, reached his 41st first-class century, scoring 108 off 180 balls, guiding Mumbai to 339 in their second innings. With an overall lead of 353, Mumbai&rsquo;s bowlers took charge, dismissing Haryana for 201 in 57.3 overs.&nbsp;
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Left-arm pacer Dias (5/39) and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/shardul-thakur">Shardul Thakur</a> (3/26) were the wreckers-in-chief as Haryana collapsed despite a resilient sixth-wicket partnership between Lakshay Dalal (64) and Sumit Kumar (62). The duo stitched a 90-run stand, briefly frustrating Mumbai, but Rahane&rsquo;s sharp captaincy and key bowling changes ensured Mumbai&rsquo;s victory.&nbsp;
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Brief scores: Mumbai 315 &amp; 339 in 85.3 overs (Ajinkya Rahane 108, Suryakumar Yadav 70, Shivam Dube 48) beat Haryana 201 in 57.3 overs (Lakshay Dalal 64, Sumit Kumar 62; Royston Dias 5/39, Shardul Thakur 3/26) by 152 runs.&nbsp;
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<h2 class="Paragraph SCXW158298121 BCX0" lang="EN-US" paraid="487531736" paraeid="{697585a1-3000-4a00-9f83-59792dbba9ab}{40}">Gujarat dominate Saurashtra&nbsp;</h2>
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Gujarat showcased a stellar all-round performance to crush Saurashtra by an innings and 98 runs in Rajkot.&nbsp;
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Pacer duo Priyajit Jadeja (4/32) and Arzan Nagwaswalla (3/54) ran through Saurashtra&rsquo;s second innings, bowling them out for 197. Saurashtra, who needed 295 to make Gujarat bat again, failed to mount any resistance despite opener Harvik Desai&rsquo;s fighting 54.&nbsp;
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Earlier, Gujarat posted a massive 511 in their first innings, putting the defending champions on the back foot from the start. India batter Cheteshwar Pujara fell cheaply for 2, and Sheldon Jackson (27) ended his professional cricket career with a disappointing outing as his team bowed out of the tournament.&nbsp;
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Brief scores: Saurashtra 216 &amp; 197 in 62.1 overs (Harvik Desai 54, Sheldon Jackson 27; Priyajit Jadeja 4/32, Arzan Nagwaswalla 3/54) lost to Gujarat 511 all out in 159.1 overs by an innings and 98 runs.&nbsp;
(With inputs from agencies)
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Sports, Cricket: Vidarbha, Mumbai, and Gujarat stormed into the Ranji Trophy semifinals with commanding victories over Tamil Nadu, Haryana, and Saurashtra, respectively, on Tuesday

Vidarbha, Mumbai, and Gujarat stormed into the Ranji Trophy semifinals with commanding victories over Tamil Nadu, Haryana, and Saurashtra, respectively, on Tuesday (Feb 11). Vidarbha crush Tamil Nadu by 198 Runs Riding on seamer Nachiket Bhute’s three-wicket haul and Yash Rathod’s well-crafted century, Vidarbha sealed a 198-run victory over Tamil Nadu in Nagpur. Set a mammoth target of 401, Tamil Nadu’s batting lineup crumbled under pressure, getting bowled out for 202 in 61.1 overs. Bhute (3/19) and left-arm spinner Harsh Dubey (3/40) played crucial roles in dismantling Tamil Nadu’s chase. Despite resistance from Pradosh Ranjan Paul (53 off 95 balls) and a fighting 57 from tail-ender Sonu Yadav, Tamil Nadu never looked in contention. Also Read: 'Rohit Sharma is a...', says West Indies batter & 2004 Champions Trophy winner Earlier, Vidarbha resumed the day with a 297-run lead and added 103 runs before getting bowled out for 272 in 92.3 overs. Rathod’s patient 112 off 213 balls, supported by Harsh Dubey’s 64, ensured a commanding lead. Tamil Nadu’s Sai Kishore (5/78) put up a fight, but his effort went in vain as Vidarbha continued their dominant run in the tournament. Brief scores: Vidarbha 353 & 272 in 92.3 overs (Yash Rathod 112, Harsh Dubey 64; Sai Kishore 5/78) beat Tamil Nadu 225 & 202 in 61.1 overs (Pradosh Ranjan Paul 53, Sonu Yadav 57; Nachiket Bhute 3/19, Harsh Dubey 3/40) by 198 runs. Rahane, Dias star in Mumbai’s 152-Run win over Haryana Defending champions Mumbai completed a fine comeback to defeat Haryana by 152 runs in Kolkata, thanks to a determined century by skipper Ajinkya Rahane and a five-wicket haul from pacer Royston Dias. Rahane, resuming on 88, reached his 41st first-class century, scoring 108 off 180 balls, guiding Mumbai to 339 in their second innings. With an overall lead of 353, Mumbai’s bowlers took charge, dismissing Haryana for 201 in 57.3 overs. Left-arm pacer Dias (5/39) and Shardul Thakur (3/26) were the wreckers-in-chief as Haryana collapsed despite a resilient sixth-wicket partnership between Lakshay Dalal (64) and Sumit Kumar (62). The duo stitched a 90-run stand, briefly frustrating Mumbai, but Rahane’s sharp captaincy and key bowling changes ensured Mumbai’s victory. Brief scores: Mumbai 315 & 339 in 85.3 overs (Ajinkya Rahane 108, Suryakumar Yadav 70, Shivam Dube 48) beat Haryana 201 in 57.3 overs (Lakshay Dalal 64, Sumit Kumar 62; Royston Dias 5/39, Shardul Thakur 3/26) by 152 runs. Gujarat dominate Saurashtra Gujarat showcased a stellar all-round performance to crush Saurashtra by an innings and 98 runs in Rajkot. Pacer duo Priyajit Jadeja (4/32) and Arzan Nagwaswalla (3/54) ran through Saurashtra’s second innings, bowling them out for 197. Saurashtra, who needed 295 to make Gujarat bat again, failed to mount any resistance despite opener Harvik Desai’s fighting 54. Earlier, Gujarat posted a massive 511 in their first innings, putting the defending champions on the back foot from the start. India batter Cheteshwar Pujara fell cheaply for 2, and Sheldon Jackson (27) ended his professional cricket career with a disappointing outing as his team bowed out of the tournament. Brief scores: Saurashtra 216 & 197 in 62.1 overs (Harvik Desai 54, Sheldon Jackson 27; Priyajit Jadeja 4/32, Arzan Nagwaswalla 3/54) lost to Gujarat 511 all out in 159.1 overs by an innings and 98 runs. (With inputs from agencies)

Ranji Trophy round-up: Mumbai, Vidarbha and Gujarat seal semis spot

India&rsquo;s Ajinkya Rahane made a fitting statement in the domestic circuit on Tuesday (Feb 11) after the batter scored a hundred on his landmark appearance for Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy knockout stage. Leading the record-holding Ranji Trophy champions in Shreyas Iyer&rsquo;s absence, Rahane scored 108 on his 200th first-class appearance. As a result, Mumbai set a target of 354 runs to win for Haryana on Day 4 of the quarterfinal contest.&nbsp;<o:p></o:p>
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Rahane shines for Mumbai<o:p></o:p></h2>
As India tour England in June in the Test format, Rahane&rsquo;s latest ton has possibly rejuvenated his hopes of a return to the senior side. The former India vice-captain looked full of intent in the second innings for Mumbai as he scored 108 off 180 deliveries. He was given a good helping hand by India&rsquo;s T20I captain, Suryakumar Yadav, as he scored 70 off 86, while Shivam Dube contributed with 48 off 65. <o:p></o:p>
Rahane&rsquo;s innings consisted of 13 fours and kept the scoreboard moving despite Mumbai losing wickets at regular intervals. The valiant knock helped Mumbai put 339 on the board, having earned a 15-run lead in the first innings. <o:p></o:p>
As a result, Haryana now need 354 runs to win and have made a decent start to their second innings on Day 4 of the contest.
ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/comeback-loading-shardul-thakur-confident-of-india-return-8708411" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Comeback loading? Shardul Thakur confident of India return</a> 
At the time of writing, Haryana were 24/1 in 7 overs with Lakshhya Dalal (11) and Yash Vardhan Dalal (0) in the middle. Skipper Ankit Kumar was dismissed by Shardul Thakur on 11 as Mumbai looked to book their place in the semis. <o:p></o:p>
Having earned a first-innings lead, Mumbai are in pole position to reach the Ranji Trophy semis in case the match ends in a draw. This means Haryana will have to chase down the 354-run target if they are to reach the Ranji Trophy semis. Haryana&rsquo;s only Ranji Trophy success came in 1991, meaning they will have to win against Mumbai at the Eden Gardens if they are to end the drought.<o:p></o:p>

Sports, Cricket: Leading the record Ranji Trophy champions in Shreyas Iyer’s absence, Ajinkya Rahane scored 108 on his 200th first-class appearance.

India’s Ajinkya Rahane made a fitting statement in the domestic circuit on Tuesday (Feb 11) after the batter scored a hundred on his landmark appearance for Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy knockout stage. Leading the record-holding Ranji Trophy champions in Shreyas Iyer’s absence, Rahane scored 108 on his 200th first-class appearance. As a result, Mumbai set a target of 354 runs to win for Haryana on Day 4 of the quarterfinal contest. Rahane shines for Mumbai As India tour England in June in the Test format, Rahane’s latest ton has possibly rejuvenated his hopes of a return to the senior side. The former India vice-captain looked full of intent in the second innings for Mumbai as he scored 108 off 180 deliveries. He was given a good helping hand by India’s T20I captain, Suryakumar Yadav, as he scored 70 off 86, while Shivam Dube contributed with 48 off 65. Rahane’s innings consisted of 13 fours and kept the scoreboard moving despite Mumbai losing wickets at regular intervals. The valiant knock helped Mumbai put 339 on the board, having earned a 15-run lead in the first innings. As a result, Haryana now need 354 runs to win and have made a decent start to their second innings on Day 4 of the contest. ALSO READ | Comeback loading? Shardul Thakur confident of India return At the time of writing, Haryana were 24/1 in 7 overs with Lakshhya Dalal (11) and Yash Vardhan Dalal (0) in the middle. Skipper Ankit Kumar was dismissed by Shardul Thakur on 11 as Mumbai looked to book their place in the semis. Having earned a first-innings lead, Mumbai are in pole position to reach the Ranji Trophy semis in case the match ends in a draw. This means Haryana will have to chase down the 354-run target if they are to reach the Ranji Trophy semis. Haryana’s only Ranji Trophy success came in 1991, meaning they will have to win against Mumbai at the Eden Gardens if they are to end the drought.

Ranji Trophy: Ajinkya Rahane hits 109 on 200th first-class appearance as Mumbai-Haryana tie hangs in balance

Mumbai Ranji Trophy team has announced inclusion of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/suryakumar-yadav">Suryakumar Yadav</a> and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/shivam-dube">Shivam Dube</a> for their next game. Mumbai will be facing Haryana in quarter-final from February 8 to 12 in Lahli, Haryana. SKY, who leads India in T20I, had played against Maharashtra earlier this season and Dube had featured against Jammu and Kashmir last month.
With no T20Is in sight till Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, SKY has enough time available to find his form. The Indian skipper was miserable in five T20Is against England - scoring just 28 runs in five games.
Also Watch: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/26-years-on-sachin-tendulkar-asks-glenn-mcgrath-to-get-his-eyes-tested-in-video-commercial-watch-8689771">26 years on, Sachin Tendulkar asks Glenn McGrath to get his eyes tested in video commercial</a>
SKY has continuously failed since T20 World Cup win - scoring just 261 runs at a strike rate of 160 with two fifties in 16 matches since the T20 World Cup victory. The India skipper last scored a 25+ runs in an innings in October 2024 against Bangladesh.
In the only Ranji match this season against Maharashtra, he batted only once and scored seven runs.
Talking about Dube, the all-rounder bagged double ducks in the Ranji game against J&amp;K but the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/rohit-sharma-ranji-trophy-dismissal-on-return-video-mumbai-vs-jammu-kashmir-ranji-trophy-8646775">focus in that game was on Rohit Sharma</a> who was playing domestic cricket for the first time in nearly 10 years.
Dube was in headlines during the England T20Is for hitting a fifty in the fourth game and being replaced by Harshit Rana as a concussion sub later on in the game. In the final T20I, the left-hand batter scored a quick-fire 30 as India won the match by 147 runs and the series by 4-1 margin.
Mumbai had lost the J&amp;K match but went on to beat Meghalaya by an innings and 456 runs under Ajinkya Rahane.
<h2>Mumbai Ranji Trophy squad for QF vs Haryana</h2>
Ajinkya Rahane (capt), Ayush Mhatre, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Amogh Bhatkal, Suryakumar Yadav, Siddhesh Lad, Shivam Dube, Akash Anand (wk), Hardik Tamore (wk), Suryansh Shedge, Shardul Thakur, Shams Mulani, Tanush Kotian, Mohit Avasthi, Sylvester D'Souza, Royston Dias, Atharva Ankolekar, Harsh Tanna.

Ranji Trophy: Mumbai will be facing Haryana in quarter-final from February 8 to 12 in Lahli, Haryana. They had beaten Jammu and Kashmir to enter QF. Cricket Sports

Mumbai Ranji Trophy team has announced inclusion of Suryakumar Yadav and Shivam Dube for their next game. Mumbai will be facing Haryana in quarter-final from February 8 to 12 in Lahli, Haryana. SKY, who leads India in T20I, had played against Maharashtra earlier this season and Dube had featured against Jammu and Kashmir last month. With no T20Is in sight till Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, SKY has enough time available to find his form. The Indian skipper was miserable in five T20Is against England - scoring just 28 runs in five games. Also Watch: 26 years on, Sachin Tendulkar asks Glenn McGrath to get his eyes tested in video commercial SKY has continuously failed since T20 World Cup win - scoring just 261 runs at a strike rate of 160 with two fifties in 16 matches since the T20 World Cup victory. The India skipper last scored a 25+ runs in an innings in October 2024 against Bangladesh. In the only Ranji match this season against Maharashtra, he batted only once and scored seven runs. Talking about Dube, the all-rounder bagged double ducks in the Ranji game against J&K but the focus in that game was on Rohit Sharma who was playing domestic cricket for the first time in nearly 10 years. Dube was in headlines during the England T20Is for hitting a fifty in the fourth game and being replaced by Harshit Rana as a concussion sub later on in the game. In the final T20I, the left-hand batter scored a quick-fire 30 as India won the match by 147 runs and the series by 4-1 margin. Mumbai had lost the J&K match but went on to beat Meghalaya by an innings and 456 runs under Ajinkya Rahane. Mumbai Ranji Trophy squad for QF vs Haryana Ajinkya Rahane (capt), Ayush Mhatre, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Amogh Bhatkal, Suryakumar Yadav, Siddhesh Lad, Shivam Dube, Akash Anand (wk), Hardik Tamore (wk), Suryansh Shedge, Shardul Thakur, Shams Mulani, Tanush Kotian, Mohit Avasthi, Sylvester D'Souza, Royston Dias, Atharva Ankolekar, Harsh Tanna.

Ranji Trophy: Two more India stars included in Mumbai squad. They are...

On last day of the 2024/25 <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ranji-trophy">Ranji Trophy</a> league stage, Jammu &amp; Kashmir sealed their spot into the quarter-finals with a 182-run win over Baroda. With the massive victory, Jammu &amp; Kashmir also ended up as table toppers in Group A, which is a huge achievement.
Resuming from 58/2, Baroda were never in the sight to chase 365 and were eventually all out for 182 in 54.5 overs. Off-spinner Sahil Lotra took the first four wickets to fall on the day, and finished with 7-75 in 26 overs, while Abid Mushtaq took 3-71 as Jammu &amp; Kashmir ended league stage with 36 points.
They had five outright wins out of seven, including one coming over defending champions Mumbai at the Sharad Pawar MCA Cricket Ground in the Bandra-Kurla Complex, to seal their spot in the quarter-finals after five years.
Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/u19-world-cup-india-beat-south-africa-by-nine-wickets-to-lift-trophy-8683395">ICC U19 T20 World Cup: India beat South Africa by nine wickets to lift trophy</a>
As per reports, Jammu &amp; Kashmir will now play its quarter-final game against Kerala at Pune from February 8-12 instead of its home ground in Jammu due to winter weather conditions in the city. Other quarter-final games confirmed for the Ranji Trophy are Vidarbha taking on Tamil Nadu, Haryana up against Mumbai and Saurashtra facing off against Gujarat.
<h2>Services enter record books</h2>
On the other hand, by chasing down 376 against Odisha at Cuttack without losing any wicket, Services entered the record books as the team to complete the second-highest run-chase in the history of the Ranji Trophy and sits behind Railways&rsquo; successful chase of 378 against Tripura in Agartala last year.
Suraj Vashisht remained unbeaten on 154 while Shubham Rohilla struck a superb 209 not out off 270 balls. Their unbroken 376-run opening stand is also the second highest partnership in a successful run-chase in the history of first-class cricket.
Chandigarh beat Chhattisgarh by 54 runs in Raipur and clinched six points to finish on 25, which is level with Tamil Nadu and Saurashtra. But Chandigarh narrowly missed out on a spot in the knockouts as Saurashtra (three) and Tamil Nadu (two) have more bonus points, and sealed their spots in the quarter-finals.
Madhya Pradesh took the first-innings lead in a drawn run-fest against Uttar Pradesh in their Group C match in Indore. The game between Karnataka and Haryana ended in a draw in Bengaluru, with the latter already sealing their knockouts spot. The match between Maharashtra and Tripura also ended in a draw in Solapur, with the hosts&rsquo; grabbing first innings lead.
(With inputs from agencies)

Sports, Cricket: With the massive victory, Jammu & Kashmir also ended up as table toppers in Group A, which is a huge achievement. They won by 182 runs against Baroda

On last day of the 2024/25 Ranji Trophy league stage, Jammu & Kashmir sealed their spot into the quarter-finals with a 182-run win over Baroda. With the massive victory, Jammu & Kashmir also ended up as table toppers in Group A, which is a huge achievement. Resuming from 58/2, Baroda were never in the sight to chase 365 and were eventually all out for 182 in 54.5 overs. Off-spinner Sahil Lotra took the first four wickets to fall on the day, and finished with 7-75 in 26 overs, while Abid Mushtaq took 3-71 as Jammu & Kashmir ended league stage with 36 points. They had five outright wins out of seven, including one coming over defending champions Mumbai at the Sharad Pawar MCA Cricket Ground in the Bandra-Kurla Complex, to seal their spot in the quarter-finals after five years. Also Read: ICC U19 T20 World Cup: India beat South Africa by nine wickets to lift trophy As per reports, Jammu & Kashmir will now play its quarter-final game against Kerala at Pune from February 8-12 instead of its home ground in Jammu due to winter weather conditions in the city. Other quarter-final games confirmed for the Ranji Trophy are Vidarbha taking on Tamil Nadu, Haryana up against Mumbai and Saurashtra facing off against Gujarat. Services enter record books On the other hand, by chasing down 376 against Odisha at Cuttack without losing any wicket, Services entered the record books as the team to complete the second-highest run-chase in the history of the Ranji Trophy and sits behind Railways’ successful chase of 378 against Tripura in Agartala last year. Suraj Vashisht remained unbeaten on 154 while Shubham Rohilla struck a superb 209 not out off 270 balls. Their unbroken 376-run opening stand is also the second highest partnership in a successful run-chase in the history of first-class cricket. Chandigarh beat Chhattisgarh by 54 runs in Raipur and clinched six points to finish on 25, which is level with Tamil Nadu and Saurashtra. But Chandigarh narrowly missed out on a spot in the knockouts as Saurashtra (three) and Tamil Nadu (two) have more bonus points, and sealed their spots in the quarter-finals. Madhya Pradesh took the first-innings lead in a drawn run-fest against Uttar Pradesh in their Group C match in Indore. The game between Karnataka and Haryana ended in a draw in Bengaluru, with the latter already sealing their knockouts spot. The match between Maharashtra and Tripura also ended in a draw in Solapur, with the hosts’ grabbing first innings lead. (With inputs from agencies)

Ranji Trophy 2025 round-up: J&K seal spot in quarterfinals; Services sign off with second-highest run-chase

In his teenage years, Agni Chopra received a piece of invaluable advice from his father, renowned filmmaker Vidhu Vinod Chopra: "Whatever profession you pursue, give it your best shot."
These words shaped his journey, leading him to make one of the toughest decisions of his career&mdash;leaving the comfort of Mumbai to play first-class cricket for Mizoram, a state where the sport is still finding its footing.
Despite the challenges, Mizoram cricket welcomed Agni with open arms, and his journey has been nothing short of remarkable. The 26-year-old's dedication and hard work paid off in the 2023&ndash;24 <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ranji-trophy">Ranji Trophy</a> season, where he emerged as the Top run getter, scoring a staggering 939 runs at an average of nearly 80. His consistency and hunger for big scores earned him the prestigious <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/board-of-control-for-cricket-in-india">BCCI</a> award, presented by none other than his childhood idol and Indian captain, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/rohit-sharma">Rohit Sharma</a>.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/my-wife-will-be-watching-and-i-cant-say-that-rohit-sharmas-reply-to-biggest-thing-he-has-ever-forgotten-watch-8683178">'My wife will be watching, and I can&rsquo;t say that': Rohit Sharma&rsquo;s reply to biggest thing he has ever forgotten- WATCH</a> Receiving the award was a surreal moment for Agni, made even more special by the presence of his parents&mdash;Vidhu Vinod Chopra and noted film critic Anupama Chopra&mdash;who cheered him on from the audience. The young cricketer found himself in an elite frame alongside legends like Sachin Tendulkar, R. Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, Sarfaraz Khan, and Smriti Mandhana.
"Receiving this award from Rohit Shamra, someone I have idolized for years, is truly special," Agni shared. "I have watched him play for almost half of my life, and this feels like a full-circle moment. Having my parents there to witness it meant the world to me. They have always supported me through my highs and lows, especially when I was in and out of the Mumbai team."
His ultimate ambition? To take Mizoram into the Elite Group and, eventually, don the iconic navy blue India Test cap. Having stepped out of his comfort zone, Agni Chopra is now ready to push even further, proving that with hard work, resilience, and an unwavering passion for the game, dreams do come true.

Sports, Cricket: The 26-year-old's dedication paid off in the 2023–24 Ranji Trophy season, where he emerged as the Top run getter, scoring  939 runs at an average of nearly 80.

In his teenage years, Agni Chopra received a piece of invaluable advice from his father, renowned filmmaker Vidhu Vinod Chopra: "Whatever profession you pursue, give it your best shot." These words shaped his journey, leading him to make one of the toughest decisions of his career—leaving the comfort of Mumbai to play first-class cricket for Mizoram, a state where the sport is still finding its footing. Despite the challenges, Mizoram cricket welcomed Agni with open arms, and his journey has been nothing short of remarkable. The 26-year-old's dedication and hard work paid off in the 2023–24 Ranji Trophy season, where he emerged as the Top run getter, scoring a staggering 939 runs at an average of nearly 80. His consistency and hunger for big scores earned him the prestigious BCCI award, presented by none other than his childhood idol and Indian captain, Rohit Sharma. Also Read: 'My wife will be watching, and I can’t say that': Rohit Sharma’s reply to biggest thing he has ever forgotten- WATCH Receiving the award was a surreal moment for Agni, made even more special by the presence of his parents—Vidhu Vinod Chopra and noted film critic Anupama Chopra—who cheered him on from the audience. The young cricketer found himself in an elite frame alongside legends like Sachin Tendulkar, R. Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, Sarfaraz Khan, and Smriti Mandhana. "Receiving this award from Rohit Shamra, someone I have idolized for years, is truly special," Agni shared. "I have watched him play for almost half of my life, and this feels like a full-circle moment. Having my parents there to witness it meant the world to me. They have always supported me through my highs and lows, especially when I was in and out of the Mumbai team." His ultimate ambition? To take Mizoram into the Elite Group and, eventually, don the iconic navy blue India Test cap. Having stepped out of his comfort zone, Agni Chopra is now ready to push even further, proving that with hard work, resilience, and an unwavering passion for the game, dreams do come true.

Agni Chopra’s stellar Ranji season earns him BCCI recognition

As Delhi celebrated a dominating victory over Railways in the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ranji-trophy">Ranji Trophy</a> match at Arun Jaitley Stadium on Saturday (Feb 1), their coach, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/sarandeep-singh">Sarandeep Singh</a>, found himself at the centre of an overwhelming fan frenzy.<o:p></o:p>
As he made his way towards the stadium exit, a wave of supporters rushed toward him, eager to capture the moment. Fans surrounded him, requesting selfies, autographs, and pictures with the mastermind behind Delhi&rsquo;s triumph. 
Despite the chaos, Sarandeep Singh obliged with a warm smile, embracing the love and admiration from the passionate crowd, making it a night to remember for both the team and its supporters.<o:p></o:p>
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/virat-kohlis-craze-hits-ranji-trophy-as-fans-breach-security-to-touch-his-feet-watch-8680817">Kohli-mania hits Ranji Trophy as fans breach security to touch his feet &ndash; Watch</a> 
WION&rsquo;s Jatin Verma caught up with&nbsp;Sarandeep Singh and the former India cricketer spoke about Delhi&rsquo;s thumping win, the learning process for young players, and the significance of maintaining discipline on and off the field.<o:p></o:p>
Singh was pleased with the team&rsquo;s dominant display, particularly highlighting how their game has evolved. He acknowledged the presence of experienced players like&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/virat-kohli">Virat Kohli</a>, who had a significant impact on the young squad.<o:p></o:p>
&ldquo;The boys were very confident, especially when Virat Kohli came in. His aura was totally different. It&rsquo;s great to see him back after 12 years. The young players have learned so much from him, and every day during net sessions, he guided them on how to play disciplined cricket, which was evident in today&rsquo;s match.&rdquo;<o:p></o:p>
<h2 class="MsoNormal">On Virat&rsquo;s commitment to domestic cricket<o:p></o:p></h2>
One of the key topics of discussion was Virat Kohli&rsquo;s involvement in domestic cricket. Singh confirmed that Kohli remains committed to playing whenever his international schedule permits.<o:p></o:p>
&ldquo;Virat has said that whenever he gets an opportunity, he will definitely come and play. He loves domestic cricket, but his international commitments across all three formats make it difficult for him to participate regularly. Despite that, he made time to play for Delhi, and his presence has been invaluable.&rdquo;<o:p></o:p>
Singh also gave insights into Kohli&rsquo;s training regime. &ldquo;He always starts preparing early. Every day, he comes in at 8 AM, trains rigorously, and then goes for net sessions. His dedication and discipline set him apart from others.&rdquo;<o:p></o:p>
<h2 class="MsoNormal">On Kohli&rsquo;s recent form and mindset<o:p></o:p></h2>
With much discussion around Kohli&rsquo;s form recently, Singh dismissed any concerns, reinforcing that the former India captain remains a top performer.<o:p></o:p>
&ldquo;At this stage of his career, where he has scored more than 27,000 runs across all formats of cricket, people should understand that the shots he gets dismissed on are also his scoring shots. There is no need to explain anything to him. He knows his game inside out and is mentally strong enough to overcome any rough patch. When he plays, the pressure is always on him, and every camera focuses on him. But he has been handling this pressure for over 15 years.&rdquo;<o:p></o:p>
Singh emphasised that his discussions with Kohli revolve around the mental aspect of the game rather than technical inputs. &ldquo;We talk a lot about international cricket, his mindset, and how to stay in a good frame of mind. When you play at that level, the mental pressure is immense. But Virat is clear-headed, and that&rsquo;s what makes him great.&rdquo;<o:p></o:p>
<h2 class="MsoNormal">On Ayush Badoni, Shivam Sharma</h2>
The former Indian cricketer also spoke about the performances of young players like Shivam Sharma and Delhi&rsquo;s captain Ayush Badoni, who have impressed this season.<o:p></o:p>
&ldquo;Shivam bowled really well today with good line and length. But he still needs to improve and be consistent throughout the season. Badoni is learning fast; he is one of the most talented boys we have. He has become a captain, and his performances show his potential. He played a brilliant knock and unfortunately missed out on a century, getting out on 99. But at this age, he has a lot to learn, and he is progressing rapidly.&rdquo;<o:p></o:p>
Praising the efforts of Delhi&rsquo;s bowlers, Singh highlighted how they adapted to the conditions. &ldquo;Navdeep Saini struggled initially but adjusted quickly, using the pitch conditions well. That&rsquo;s the mark of a good player. Even today, our bowlers executed the plans well, which was crucial for our win.&rdquo;<o:p></o:p>
<h2 class="MsoNormal">Kohli&rsquo;s influence on young players<o:p></o:p></h2>
Singh underlined Kohli&rsquo;s role in mentoring Delhi&rsquo;s young cricketers, focusing on discipline and professionalism.<o:p></o:p>
&ldquo;When Virat arrived, we spoke to the players beforehand. He interacted with every player, emphasizing that discipline inside and outside the ground is key to consistent performances. That&rsquo;s why he is a grandmaster of the game. Youngsters look up to him, not just for his cricketing skills but also for his disciplined lifestyle. His influence is immense, and that&rsquo;s why he continues to deliver results,&rdquo; he signed off.<o:p></o:p>

Sports, Cricket: Delhi Ranji team coach Sarandeep Singh was pleased with the team’s dominant display, particularly highlighting how their game has evolved

As Delhi celebrated a dominating victory over Railways in the Ranji Trophy match at Arun Jaitley Stadium on Saturday (Feb 1), their coach, Sarandeep Singh, found himself at the centre of an overwhelming fan frenzy. As he made his way towards the stadium exit, a wave of supporters rushed toward him, eager to capture the moment. Fans surrounded him, requesting selfies, autographs, and pictures with the mastermind behind Delhi’s triumph. Despite the chaos, Sarandeep Singh obliged with a warm smile, embracing the love and admiration from the passionate crowd, making it a night to remember for both the team and its supporters. Also Read: Kohli-mania hits Ranji Trophy as fans breach security to touch his feet – Watch WION’s Jatin Verma caught up with Sarandeep Singh and the former India cricketer spoke about Delhi’s thumping win, the learning process for young players, and the significance of maintaining discipline on and off the field. Singh was pleased with the team’s dominant display, particularly highlighting how their game has evolved. He acknowledged the presence of experienced players like Virat Kohli, who had a significant impact on the young squad. “The boys were very confident, especially when Virat Kohli came in. His aura was totally different. It’s great to see him back after 12 years. The young players have learned so much from him, and every day during net sessions, he guided them on how to play disciplined cricket, which was evident in today’s match.” On Virat’s commitment to domestic cricket One of the key topics of discussion was Virat Kohli’s involvement in domestic cricket. Singh confirmed that Kohli remains committed to playing whenever his international schedule permits. “Virat has said that whenever he gets an opportunity, he will definitely come and play. He loves domestic cricket, but his international commitments across all three formats make it difficult for him to participate regularly. Despite that, he made time to play for Delhi, and his presence has been invaluable.” Singh also gave insights into Kohli’s training regime. “He always starts preparing early. Every day, he comes in at 8 AM, trains rigorously, and then goes for net sessions. His dedication and discipline set him apart from others.” On Kohli’s recent form and mindset With much discussion around Kohli’s form recently, Singh dismissed any concerns, reinforcing that the former India captain remains a top performer. “At this stage of his career, where he has scored more than 27,000 runs across all formats of cricket, people should understand that the shots he gets dismissed on are also his scoring shots. There is no need to explain anything to him. He knows his game inside out and is mentally strong enough to overcome any rough patch. When he plays, the pressure is always on him, and every camera focuses on him. But he has been handling this pressure for over 15 years.” Singh emphasised that his discussions with Kohli revolve around the mental aspect of the game rather than technical inputs. “We talk a lot about international cricket, his mindset, and how to stay in a good frame of mind. When you play at that level, the mental pressure is immense. But Virat is clear-headed, and that’s what makes him great.” On Ayush Badoni, Shivam Sharma The former Indian cricketer also spoke about the performances of young players like Shivam Sharma and Delhi’s captain Ayush Badoni, who have impressed this season. “Shivam bowled really well today with good line and length. But he still needs to improve and be consistent throughout the season. Badoni is learning fast; he is one of the most talented boys we have. He has become a captain, and his performances show his potential. He played a brilliant knock and unfortunately missed out on a century, getting out on 99. But at this age, he has a lot to learn, and he is progressing rapidly.” Praising the efforts of Delhi’s bowlers, Singh highlighted how they adapted to the conditions. “Navdeep Saini struggled initially but adjusted quickly, using the pitch conditions well. That’s the mark of a good player. Even today, our bowlers executed the plans well, which was crucial for our win.” Kohli’s influence on young players Singh underlined Kohli’s role in mentoring Delhi’s young cricketers, focusing on discipline and professionalism. “When Virat arrived, we spoke to the players beforehand. He interacted with every player, emphasizing that discipline inside and outside the ground is key to consistent performances. That’s why he is a grandmaster of the game. Youngsters look up to him, not just for his cricketing skills but also for his disciplined lifestyle. His influence is immense, and that’s why he continues to deliver results,” he signed off.

Exclusive | Ranji Trophy 2025: ‘He’s a grandmaster of the game’: Delhi coach Sarandeep Singh on Virat Kohli’s leadership

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/virat-kohli" rel="dofollow">Virat Kohli</a> is perhaps the biggest name in the cricketing world. The former India captain is the closest thing to legendary Sachin Tendulkar in this country, and his fan following is a testament to it. Known for being the biggest crowd-puller among all active players, Kohli-mania hit the Ranji Trophy during Delhi&rsquo;s home game against the Railways. On day three, several fans breached security to touch his feet, with the video doing rounds on social media.
During day three of the Ranji game in Delhi, three fans breached security to touch Kohli&rsquo;s feet, with those in charge of the proceedings rushed to the spot to separate them. Even on day one of this game, a fan jumped the security cover, running towards Kohli to meet him on the field.&nbsp;
<h3>Watch -</h3>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet publive-iframes-block publive-Twitter-block" contenteditable="false" width="600" height="400" id="PL_blockquote_block-m6ly7r3v-n570p7bm-0fmhy5b5">
3 fans entered in the stadium to meet Virat Kohli and touched his feet at Arun Jaitley stadium <a href="https://t.co/gLKOYhiwX4">pic.twitter.com/gLKOYhiwX4</a>
&mdash; Virat Kohli Fan Club (@Trend_VKohli) <a href="https://twitter.com/Trend_VKohli/status/1885587543305191521?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 1, 2025</a></blockquote>
Kohli returned to playing Ranji Trophy for the first time in over 12 years, having last played against Uttar Pradesh in November 2012. After the BCCI made it mandatory for all Indian players to feature for their respective Ranji Trophy sides, the news of Kohli linking with the Delhi Ranji squad for their final league game (of the season) broke the internet.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ind-vs-eng-pietersen-cook-vaughan-baffled-over-harshit-rana-concussion-substitute-swap-in-pune-t20i-8680187" rel="dofollow">IND vs ENG: Ex-England captains &lsquo;baffled&rsquo; over Rana&rsquo;s &lsquo;concussion substitute swap&rsquo; in Pune T20I</a>
The crowd took centre stage on the first two days, with over 15,000 fans gathering at the Arun Jaitley Stadium to watch their hometown hero bat. After Railways were all out for 241, Delhi batted late on day one, but Kohli only came on the pitch on day two after the fall of the second wicket.
His return, however, was brief, as he was&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/delhi-vs-railways-ranji-trophy-day-2-virat-kohli-wicket-video-bowled-by-himanshu-sangwan-for-six-runs-8677121" rel="dofollow">clean bowled for just six by Railways seamer Himanshu Sangwan</a>, who became an overnight sensation for his giant heroics. However, his animated celebration divided the internet after he called Kohli&rsquo;s wicket <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/himanshu-sangwan-on-dismissing-virat-kohli-its-the-most-important-wicket-of-my-life-ranji-trophy-8680585" rel="dofollow">&lsquo;the biggest one of his life&rsquo;.</a>
"It is the most important wicket of my life. It goes without saying. Virat Kohli is an inspiration to the whole country. First time in (my) life, I saw so many people turning up for a Ranji Trophy game. It was special for all of us," Himanshu said after the day&rsquo;s play.
<h2>Delhi crush Railways</h2>
Meanwhile, after taking a 133-run lead in the first innings, Delhi crushed Railways in their second innings (114) to win the match by an innings and 19 runs. &nbsp;
While captain Ayush Badoni impressed one and all with his match-winning 99 in the first innings, besides picking a wicket in the second innings, the right-arm spinner Shivam Sharma won the game for the hosts, returning with five wickets in the second innings.
(With inputs from agencies)

Sports, Cricket: Known for being the biggest crowd-puller among all active players, Kohli-mania hit the Ranji Trophy during Delhi’s home game against the Railways.

Virat Kohli is perhaps the biggest name in the cricketing world. The former India captain is the closest thing to legendary Sachin Tendulkar in this country, and his fan following is a testament to it. Known for being the biggest crowd-puller among all active players, Kohli-mania hit the Ranji Trophy during Delhi’s home game against the Railways. On day three, several fans breached security to touch his feet, with the video doing rounds on social media. During day three of the Ranji game in Delhi, three fans breached security to touch Kohli’s feet, with those in charge of the proceedings rushed to the spot to separate them. Even on day one of this game, a fan jumped the security cover, running towards Kohli to meet him on the field. Watch - 3 fans entered in the stadium to meet Virat Kohli and touched his feet at Arun Jaitley stadium pic.twitter.com/gLKOYhiwX4 — Virat Kohli Fan Club (@Trend_VKohli) February 1, 2025 Kohli returned to playing Ranji Trophy for the first time in over 12 years, having last played against Uttar Pradesh in November 2012. After the BCCI made it mandatory for all Indian players to feature for their respective Ranji Trophy sides, the news of Kohli linking with the Delhi Ranji squad for their final league game (of the season) broke the internet. Also read | IND vs ENG: Ex-England captains ‘baffled’ over Rana’s ‘concussion substitute swap’ in Pune T20I The crowd took centre stage on the first two days, with over 15,000 fans gathering at the Arun Jaitley Stadium to watch their hometown hero bat. After Railways were all out for 241, Delhi batted late on day one, but Kohli only came on the pitch on day two after the fall of the second wicket. His return, however, was brief, as he was clean bowled for just six by Railways seamer Himanshu Sangwan, who became an overnight sensation for his giant heroics. However, his animated celebration divided the internet after he called Kohli’s wicket ‘the biggest one of his life’. "It is the most important wicket of my life. It goes without saying. Virat Kohli is an inspiration to the whole country. First time in (my) life, I saw so many people turning up for a Ranji Trophy game. It was special for all of us," Himanshu said after the day’s play. Delhi crush Railways Meanwhile, after taking a 133-run lead in the first innings, Delhi crushed Railways in their second innings (114) to win the match by an innings and 19 runs. While captain Ayush Badoni impressed one and all with his match-winning 99 in the first innings, besides picking a wicket in the second innings, the right-arm spinner Shivam Sharma won the game for the hosts, returning with five wickets in the second innings. (With inputs from agencies)

Kohli-mania hits Ranji Trophy as fans breach security to touch his feet – Watch

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/who-is-himanshu-sangwan-railways-pacer-who-silenced-arun-jaitley-stadium-after-dismissing-king-kohli-on-ranji-trophy-return-8677378" rel="dofollow">Himanshu Sangwan</a> became an overnight sensation after he claimed <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/delhi-vs-railways-ranji-trophy-day-2-virat-kohli-wicket-video-bowled-by-himanshu-sangwan-for-six-runs-8677121" rel="dofollow">Virat Kohli&rsquo;s wicket</a> on day two of the Ranji Trophy game between Delhi and Railways at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. After Delhi&rsquo;s overnight batters, Sanat Sangwan and Yash Dhull, made the crowd (in abundance) wait for over an hour to watch their hometown hero play, Sangwan spoilt it for them by sending Kohli packing for just six.
Kohli last played a Ranji game in November 2012 (against Uttar Pradesh), and upon returning to playing domestic cricket after over 12 years, he failed to leave a mark, though he smashed Himanshu for a straight drive (for a four) on the previous ball.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-virat-comes-up-with-heart-warming-gesture-touches-feet-of-childhood-coach-rajkumar-sharma-during-felcitation-8678472" rel="dofollow">Watch: Virat comes up with heart-warming gesture, touches feet of childhood coach Rajkumar Sharma during felicitation</a>
Meanwhile, Railways seamer Kunal Yadav had beaten Kohli (outside off stump) twice on two balls in the previous over; to avoid getting in the same position again, he approached Himanshu (walking down the crease) in the next over only to miss the incoming delivery, which broke his off stump.
Reflecting on his big wicket, Sangwan said it (Kohli&rsquo;s dismissal) was the biggest moment of his cricket career.&nbsp;
"It is the most important wicket of my life. It goes without saying. Virat Kohli is an inspiration to the whole country. First time in (my) life, I saw so many people turning up for a Ranji Trophy game. It was special for all of us," Himanshu said after the day&rsquo;s play.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/the-homecoming-that-wasnt-kohlis-23-minute-tryst-with-fate-8677784" rel="dofollow">Ranji Trophy 2025: The homecoming that wasn&rsquo;t-Kohli&rsquo;s 23-minute tryst with fate</a>
Elaborating on what went behind the scenes, on tackling Kohli&rsquo;s game, Sangwan said the Railways bowlers didn&rsquo;t plan around one batter, instead they worked on the bigger goal.
"We did not have any special plan for Kohli. Since all Delhi batters play aggressive cricket, our plan was to bowl in the channel. If you do not give runs to an aggressive batter, he will try a big shot and get out. Perhaps the same happened with him,&rdquo; he continued.
<h2>No Kohli show, but Delhi on top</h2>
Meanwhile, Kohli&rsquo;s dismissal saw Delhi reeling at 86 for three, trailing Railways by 155 runs. Delhi captain Ayush Badoni impressed everyone with his stellar 99, while Sumit Mathur&rsquo;s 86 helped Delhi recover; they eventually got all out on 374, securing a 133-run lead.
On day three, Delhi reduced Railways to 76 for five before tea, with Shivam Sharma returning with two wickets. The India international Navdeep Saini also returned with one wicket thus far.&nbsp;
(With inputs from agencies)

Sports, Cricket: Railways seamer Himanshu Sangwan removed Virat Kohli, clean bowled on six during day two of the Ranji Trophy game at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. 

Himanshu Sangwan became an overnight sensation after he claimed Virat Kohli’s wicket on day two of the Ranji Trophy game between Delhi and Railways at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. After Delhi’s overnight batters, Sanat Sangwan and Yash Dhull, made the crowd (in abundance) wait for over an hour to watch their hometown hero play, Sangwan spoilt it for them by sending Kohli packing for just six. Kohli last played a Ranji game in November 2012 (against Uttar Pradesh), and upon returning to playing domestic cricket after over 12 years, he failed to leave a mark, though he smashed Himanshu for a straight drive (for a four) on the previous ball. Also read | Watch: Virat comes up with heart-warming gesture, touches feet of childhood coach Rajkumar Sharma during felicitation Meanwhile, Railways seamer Kunal Yadav had beaten Kohli (outside off stump) twice on two balls in the previous over; to avoid getting in the same position again, he approached Himanshu (walking down the crease) in the next over only to miss the incoming delivery, which broke his off stump. Reflecting on his big wicket, Sangwan said it (Kohli’s dismissal) was the biggest moment of his cricket career. "It is the most important wicket of my life. It goes without saying. Virat Kohli is an inspiration to the whole country. First time in (my) life, I saw so many people turning up for a Ranji Trophy game. It was special for all of us," Himanshu said after the day’s play. Also read | Ranji Trophy 2025: The homecoming that wasn’t-Kohli’s 23-minute tryst with fate Elaborating on what went behind the scenes, on tackling Kohli’s game, Sangwan said the Railways bowlers didn’t plan around one batter, instead they worked on the bigger goal. "We did not have any special plan for Kohli. Since all Delhi batters play aggressive cricket, our plan was to bowl in the channel. If you do not give runs to an aggressive batter, he will try a big shot and get out. Perhaps the same happened with him,” he continued. No Kohli show, but Delhi on top Meanwhile, Kohli’s dismissal saw Delhi reeling at 86 for three, trailing Railways by 155 runs. Delhi captain Ayush Badoni impressed everyone with his stellar 99, while Sumit Mathur’s 86 helped Delhi recover; they eventually got all out on 374, securing a 133-run lead. On day three, Delhi reduced Railways to 76 for five before tea, with Shivam Sharma returning with two wickets. The India international Navdeep Saini also returned with one wicket thus far. (With inputs from agencies)

Himanshu Sangwan on dismissing Virat Kohli in Ranji Trophy: ‘It’s the most important wicket of my life’

Virat Kohli&rsquo;s return to the Delhi side was not a happy moment for the veteran batter after he was dismissed for 6 in the Ranji Trophy contest against Railways on Friday (Jan 31). Playing at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi, Virat&rsquo;s dismissal by Himanshu Sangwan left the crowd stunned, leading to a mass evacuation of the stadium. In other ties, Madhya Pradesh batters Harsh Gawli (258) and skipper Shubham Sharma (208) rewrote record books for the hosts while Mumbai are getting close to a win over minnows Meghalaya.
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Virat Kohli fails on return</h2>
Having been called out to bat in the opening session of Day 2, the former India captain was given a warm welcome by the crowd as fans thronged the stadium. However, Virat&rsquo;s return was brief after he was dismissed for 6 in the first innings by Himanshu Sangwan. Having disappointed during the Australia tour, Kohli&rsquo;s latest failure did not go well with the critics.&nbsp;
Despite Virat&rsquo;s poor form, Delhi managed to gain the upper hand as they closed the day on 334/7 and lead by 93 runs in the first innings. Skipper Ayush Badoni had a tough pill to swallow after he was dismissed for 99 in the second session of Day 2.
ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/sachin-tendulkar-to-be-bestowed-with-bccis-lifetime-achievement-award-reports-8677663" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Sachin Tendulkar to be bestowed with BCCI's Lifetime Achievement award-Reports</a>
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">MP run riot, Mumbai near win</h2>
In another Ranji Trophy contest at the Holkar Stadium in Indore between Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, Harsh Gawli (258) and skipper Shubham Sharma (208) ran riot with the bat. The duo's double ton helped MP register their highest team total in the tournament&rsquo;s history as they ended Day 2 on 670/7 and still have three wickets in hand. Himanshu Mantri (52) and Sagar Solanki (72) also scored fifties for MP.
While in Mumbai, the defending champions are closing in on a massive win after they declared for 671/7. Three batters - Siddhesh Lad (145), Akash Anand (103) and Shams Mulani (unbeaten 100) completed their hundreds while Ajinkya Rahane (96), Shardul Thakur (84) and Suryansh Shedge (61) missed out on their personal feat.

Sports, Cricket: Virat Kohli’s return to the Delhi side was not a happy moment for the veteran batter after he was dismissed for 6 in the Ranji Trophy contest against Railways. 

Virat Kohli’s return to the Delhi side was not a happy moment for the veteran batter after he was dismissed for 6 in the Ranji Trophy contest against Railways on Friday (Jan 31). Playing at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi, Virat’s dismissal by Himanshu Sangwan left the crowd stunned, leading to a mass evacuation of the stadium. In other ties, Madhya Pradesh batters Harsh Gawli (258) and skipper Shubham Sharma (208) rewrote record books for the hosts while Mumbai are getting close to a win over minnows Meghalaya. Virat Kohli fails on return Having been called out to bat in the opening session of Day 2, the former India captain was given a warm welcome by the crowd as fans thronged the stadium. However, Virat’s return was brief after he was dismissed for 6 in the first innings by Himanshu Sangwan. Having disappointed during the Australia tour, Kohli’s latest failure did not go well with the critics. Despite Virat’s poor form, Delhi managed to gain the upper hand as they closed the day on 334/7 and lead by 93 runs in the first innings. Skipper Ayush Badoni had a tough pill to swallow after he was dismissed for 99 in the second session of Day 2. ALSO READ | Sachin Tendulkar to be bestowed with BCCI's Lifetime Achievement award-Reports MP run riot, Mumbai near win In another Ranji Trophy contest at the Holkar Stadium in Indore between Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, Harsh Gawli (258) and skipper Shubham Sharma (208) ran riot with the bat. The duo's double ton helped MP register their highest team total in the tournament’s history as they ended Day 2 on 670/7 and still have three wickets in hand. Himanshu Mantri (52) and Sagar Solanki (72) also scored fifties for MP. While in Mumbai, the defending champions are closing in on a massive win after they declared for 671/7. Three batters - Siddhesh Lad (145), Akash Anand (103) and Shams Mulani (unbeaten 100) completed their hundreds while Ajinkya Rahane (96), Shardul Thakur (84) and Suryansh Shedge (61) missed out on their personal feat.

Ranji Trophy wrap: Virat Kohli disappoints on return for Delhi; Madhya Pradesh batters rewrite record books

<div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW33534458 BCX0">
Remember the 1999 series &lsquo;Futurama&rsquo;? In an episode, one of the cast members on the fictional soap opera All My Circuits malfunction, leading to an open casting call for child actors. <span class="EOP SCXW33534458 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:279}">&nbsp;
</div>
<div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW33534458 BCX0">
Bender makes Tinny Tim, a young orphan robot, believe that he could have a shot at the role, only for Tim to realise that Bender is actually auditioning. After Tinny Tim realizes that Bender has no intention of helping him, he says &ldquo;You raised my hopes and dashed them quite expertly, sir. Bravo!&rdquo;<span class="EOP SCXW33534458 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:279}">&nbsp;
<span class="EOP SCXW33534458 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:279}">Such were the emotions of the fans present in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/arun-jaitley-cricket-stadium">Arun Jaitley Stadium</a> on Friday.
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In the world of sports, hope is a powerful emotion. It can lift spirits, fuel belief, and bring thousands together in shared anticipation. But when dashed, it can leave an unshakable void, one that echoed through the Arun Jaitley Stadium on a crisp Friday morning.<span class="EOP SCXW33534458 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:279}">&nbsp;
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The excitement had been brewing since dawn. Fans lined up outside the stadium as early as 6 AM, eager to catch a glimpse of their hometown hero, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/virat-kohli">Virat Kohli</a>. The energy inside the ground was palpable as Delhi&rsquo;s innings unfolded, with every dismissal bringing them closer to the moment they had all been waiting for.<span class="EOP SCXW33534458 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:279}">&nbsp;
<span class="EOP SCXW33534458 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:279}">Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/champions-trophy-2025-australia-all-rounder-mitch-marsh-ruled-out-with-back-issue-8677421">Champions Trophy 2025: Australia all-rounder Mitch Marsh ruled out with back issue</a> 
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At 10:31 AM, that moment arrived.<span class="EOP SCXW33534458 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:279}">&nbsp;
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As <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/yash-dhull">Yash </a><a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/yash-dhull">Dhull</a> fell lbw to Rahul Sharma, a roar erupted from the Bishan Singh Bedi stand. Not in celebration of the wicket, but in anticipation of the man who was about to step onto the field. When Kohli emerged from the pavilion, the entire stadium stood as one, a sea of applause and chants of &ldquo;Kohli! Kohli!&rdquo; reverberating through the air. The sheer intensity of the ovation was deafening. It wasn&rsquo;t just about watching a cricketing great&mdash;it was about witnessing a homecoming, a potential masterclass in the making.<span class="EOP SCXW33534458 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:279}">&nbsp;
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Kohli took his guard and faced his first ball. A yorker from Rahul, which he looked to flick but missed. The next delivery, a full ball angled across him, saw his bottom hand come off the bat as he attempted a drive&mdash;nervous signs from a man known for his supreme confidence. 
The crowd, however, remained undeterred. Every run he scored was met with loud applause, each defensive stroke welcomed with encouraging cheers. When he finally broke the shackles with a fierce straight drive past Sangwan, a boundary that rattled the sightscreen, the stadium erupted once more. This was it. This was the moment.<span class="EOP SCXW33534458 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:279}">&nbsp;
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Hope swelled in the stands. Could today be the day? Could this be the innings that reminded everyone of Kohli&rsquo;s brilliance in whites?<span class="EOP SCXW33534458 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:279}">&nbsp;
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But cricket, much like life, can be cruel.<span class="EOP SCXW33534458 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:279}">&nbsp;
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At 10:54 AM, just 23 minutes after he walked in, that hope was crushed.<span class="EOP SCXW33534458 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:279}">&nbsp;
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Sangwan steamed in again, angling the ball in from outside off. Kohli, looking to drive expansively, moved too far forward. The inward movement and low bounce deceived him completely. In an instant, the off-stump was sent cartwheeling.<span class="EOP SCXW33534458 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:279}">&nbsp;
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A collective gasp swept through the stadium. And then, silence. Absolute silence.<span class="EOP SCXW33534458 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:279}">&nbsp;
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Kohli stood there for a second, staring at the wreckage, playing an imaginary defensive stroke in the air, perhaps wondering if a straighter bat could have saved him. But it was too late. As Sangwan, a Najafgarh native and former Delhi squad member, celebrated wildly, Kohli trudged back to the pavilion.<span class="EOP SCXW33534458 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:279}">&nbsp;
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Disbelief settled over the crowd. One by one, fans began to leave, their hope shattered. Some faithfuls, however, lingered near the dressing room balcony, chanting his name four more times, unwilling to let go of the moment.<span class="EOP SCXW33534458 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:279}">&nbsp;
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Hope, after all, never truly dies. Even when it disappoints, it finds a way to bring people back. And maybe, just maybe, they&rsquo;ll return for another chance to witness the magic that once seemed inevitable.
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Sports, Cricket: The excitement had been brewing since dawn. Fans lined up outside the stadium as early as 6 AM, eager to catch a glimpse of their hometown hero, Virat Kohli

Remember the 1999 series ‘Futurama’? In an episode, one of the cast members on the fictional soap opera All My Circuits malfunction, leading to an open casting call for child actors. Bender makes Tinny Tim, a young orphan robot, believe that he could have a shot at the role, only for Tim to realise that Bender is actually auditioning. After Tinny Tim realizes that Bender has no intention of helping him, he says “You raised my hopes and dashed them quite expertly, sir. Bravo!” Such were the emotions of the fans present in Arun Jaitley Stadium on Friday. In the world of sports, hope is a powerful emotion. It can lift spirits, fuel belief, and bring thousands together in shared anticipation. But when dashed, it can leave an unshakable void, one that echoed through the Arun Jaitley Stadium on a crisp Friday morning. The excitement had been brewing since dawn. Fans lined up outside the stadium as early as 6 AM, eager to catch a glimpse of their hometown hero, Virat Kohli. The energy inside the ground was palpable as Delhi’s innings unfolded, with every dismissal bringing them closer to the moment they had all been waiting for. Also Read: Champions Trophy 2025: Australia all-rounder Mitch Marsh ruled out with back issue At 10:31 AM, that moment arrived. As Yash Dhull fell lbw to Rahul Sharma, a roar erupted from the Bishan Singh Bedi stand. Not in celebration of the wicket, but in anticipation of the man who was about to step onto the field. When Kohli emerged from the pavilion, the entire stadium stood as one, a sea of applause and chants of “Kohli! Kohli!” reverberating through the air. The sheer intensity of the ovation was deafening. It wasn’t just about watching a cricketing great—it was about witnessing a homecoming, a potential masterclass in the making. Kohli took his guard and faced his first ball. A yorker from Rahul, which he looked to flick but missed. The next delivery, a full ball angled across him, saw his bottom hand come off the bat as he attempted a drive—nervous signs from a man known for his supreme confidence. The crowd, however, remained undeterred. Every run he scored was met with loud applause, each defensive stroke welcomed with encouraging cheers. When he finally broke the shackles with a fierce straight drive past Sangwan, a boundary that rattled the sightscreen, the stadium erupted once more. This was it. This was the moment. Hope swelled in the stands. Could today be the day? Could this be the innings that reminded everyone of Kohli’s brilliance in whites? But cricket, much like life, can be cruel. At 10:54 AM, just 23 minutes after he walked in, that hope was crushed. Sangwan steamed in again, angling the ball in from outside off. Kohli, looking to drive expansively, moved too far forward. The inward movement and low bounce deceived him completely. In an instant, the off-stump was sent cartwheeling. A collective gasp swept through the stadium. And then, silence. Absolute silence. Kohli stood there for a second, staring at the wreckage, playing an imaginary defensive stroke in the air, perhaps wondering if a straighter bat could have saved him. But it was too late. As Sangwan, a Najafgarh native and former Delhi squad member, celebrated wildly, Kohli trudged back to the pavilion. Disbelief settled over the crowd. One by one, fans began to leave, their hope shattered. Some faithfuls, however, lingered near the dressing room balcony, chanting his name four more times, unwilling to let go of the moment. Hope, after all, never truly dies. Even when it disappoints, it finds a way to bring people back. And maybe, just maybe, they’ll return for another chance to witness the magic that once seemed inevitable.

Ranji Trophy 2025: The homecoming that wasn’t-Kohli’s 23-minute tryst with fate

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<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/virat-kohli">Virat Kohli</a>&rsquo;s much-anticipated return to the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ranji-trophy">Ranji Trophy</a> after a gap of more than 12 years, turned into a bittersweet spectacle for cricket fans.<span class="EOP SCXW107629700 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:279}">&nbsp;
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The Delhi crowd gathered in large numbers at the iconic venue, their excitement palpable as one of India&rsquo;s greatest cricketers strode out to bat under the blazing sun.<span class="EOP SCXW107629700 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:279}">&nbsp;
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For Himanshu Sangwan, this was a moment of immense significance, but not an unfamiliar one. Known for his knack for dismantling high-profile batting line-ups, Sangwan has built a reputation as a giant slayer in domestic cricket. The 29-year-old seamer from Delhi first announced himself in dramatic fashion back in 2019 during a Ranji Trophy match at the historic Wankhede Stadium.<span class="EOP SCXW107629700 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:279}">&nbsp;
<span class="EOP SCXW107629700 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:279}">Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/delhi-vs-railways-ranji-trophy-day-2-virat-kohli-wicket-video-bowled-by-himanshu-sangwan-for-six-runs-8677121">Delhi vs Railways, Ranji Trophy: WATCH | Virat Kohli bowled for 6 on return</a> 
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On that day, Sangwan delivered one of Railways&rsquo; most celebrated victories, taking six wickets to engineer a 10-wicket triumph over Mumbai. Among his victims were Indian stalwarts Ajinkya Rahane and Prithvi Shaw.<span class="EOP SCXW107629700 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:279}">&nbsp;
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Himanshu was born on September 2, 1995, in Delhi&rsquo;s Najafgarh area, the same locality which also was home to veteran batter Virender Sehwag.&nbsp;<span class="EOP SCXW107629700 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:279}">&nbsp;
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Sangwan began his professional cricketing journey in 2019, making his List A debut during the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/vijay-hazare">Vijay Hazare Trophy</a>. Shortly after, he debuted in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy on November 8, 2019, and capped the year with his first Ranji Trophy appearance on December 9. <span class="EOP SCXW107629700 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:279}">&nbsp;
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In first-class cricket, Sangwan has played 23 matches, picking 77 wickets at an average of 19.92 and an economy rate of 3.02. His disciplined bowling and ability to adapt to different conditions have made him a reliable asset for the Railways team. In List A cricket, Sangwan has taken 21 wickets in 17 matches at an economy rate of 5.28 and an average of 34.71.<span class="EOP SCXW107629700 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:279}">&nbsp;
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In the past, he has worked as a ticket collector at the New Delhi Railway Station. He also trained at the MRF Pace Foundation, where he was coached under Aussie legend Glenn McGrath.<span class="EOP SCXW107629700 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:279}">&nbsp;
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Sports, Cricket: He has worked as a ticket collector at the New Delhi Railway Station. He also trained at MRF Pace Foundation, where he was coached under Australia's Glenn McGrath. 

Virat Kohli’s much-anticipated return to the Ranji Trophy after a gap of more than 12 years, turned into a bittersweet spectacle for cricket fans. The Delhi crowd gathered in large numbers at the iconic venue, their excitement palpable as one of India’s greatest cricketers strode out to bat under the blazing sun. For Himanshu Sangwan, this was a moment of immense significance, but not an unfamiliar one. Known for his knack for dismantling high-profile batting line-ups, Sangwan has built a reputation as a giant slayer in domestic cricket. The 29-year-old seamer from Delhi first announced himself in dramatic fashion back in 2019 during a Ranji Trophy match at the historic Wankhede Stadium. Also Read: Delhi vs Railways, Ranji Trophy: WATCH | Virat Kohli bowled for 6 on return On that day, Sangwan delivered one of Railways’ most celebrated victories, taking six wickets to engineer a 10-wicket triumph over Mumbai. Among his victims were Indian stalwarts Ajinkya Rahane and Prithvi Shaw. Himanshu was born on September 2, 1995, in Delhi’s Najafgarh area, the same locality which also was home to veteran batter Virender Sehwag. Sangwan began his professional cricketing journey in 2019, making his List A debut during the Vijay Hazare Trophy. Shortly after, he debuted in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy on November 8, 2019, and capped the year with his first Ranji Trophy appearance on December 9. In first-class cricket, Sangwan has played 23 matches, picking 77 wickets at an average of 19.92 and an economy rate of 3.02. His disciplined bowling and ability to adapt to different conditions have made him a reliable asset for the Railways team. In List A cricket, Sangwan has taken 21 wickets in 17 matches at an economy rate of 5.28 and an average of 34.71. In the past, he has worked as a ticket collector at the New Delhi Railway Station. He also trained at the MRF Pace Foundation, where he was coached under Aussie legend Glenn McGrath.

Who is Himanshu Sangwan, Railways pacer who silenced Arun Jaitley Stadium after dismissing King Kohli on Ranji Trophy return

Virat Kohli's Ranji Trophy return lasted only for 15 balls as his off-stump was sent cart-wheeling for a personal score of six runs on day 2 of the Delhi vs Railways match on Friday (Jan 31).&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/virat-kohli">Kohli</a>, who is playing his first <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ranji-trophy">Ranji Trophy</a> match in over 12 years, was given a standing ovation by the crowd at Arun Jaitley stadium as he came on to bat but the dream for fans didn't last long.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/delhi-vs-railways-day-2-live-score-virat-kohli-ranji-trophy-return-updates-liveblog-8676636" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Delhi vs Railways Day 2, Ranji Trophy Latest Updates</a>
Himanshu Sangwan had been hit for a four down the ground on a slightly fuller ball. The Railways bowler immediately corrected his length and the next ball went through the gate of Kohli's defence - uprooting his off-stump. Have a look at the wicket below:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Virat Kohli scored more than expected. If this is their condition in Ranji, they should retire Asap. <a href="https://t.co/5gBKICySJF">pic.twitter.com/5gBKICySJF</a>
&mdash; Facts (@BefittingFacts) <a href="https://twitter.com/BefittingFacts/status/1885213047599276198?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 31, 2025</a></blockquote>

<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<h2>Delhi vs Railways Match Update - Day 2</h2>
Delhi started the day from the overnight score of 41/1, trailing by 200 runs in the first innings. Overnight batters Yash Dhull and Sanat Sangwan batted well and added 67 runs for the second wicket before Dhull was dismissed on 32.
Railways pacer Rahul Sharma trapped Dhull LBW in the 24th over of the innings. The ball looked going above the stumps but the on-field umpire decided otherwise and gave Dhull out, much to his dismay.
Kohli then walked in to bat to a thunderous roar of the crowd which started leaving as soon as the India star was dismissed. Sangwan dismissed Sanat in his next over, bringing Delhi to four down for less than 100 runs.
Skipper <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ayush-badoni">Ayush Badoni</a> then got support from Sumit Mathur and steadied the innings. The duo added 71 unbeaten runs for the fifth wicket with Badoni reaching his 50 as well while Mathur scored 28 by the time the first session came to an end.
By lunch on day 2, Delhi were trailing by 73 runs in the first innings having finished the first session at 168/4 with Badoni looking solid for them.

Delhi vs Railways, Ranji Trophy: Kohli, making his return to domestic cricket after 13 years, scored only six runs before being bowled on day 2. Sports Cricket

Virat Kohli's Ranji Trophy return lasted only for 15 balls as his off-stump was sent cart-wheeling for a personal score of six runs on day 2 of the Delhi vs Railways match on Friday (Jan 31). Kohli, who is playing his first Ranji Trophy match in over 12 years, was given a standing ovation by the crowd at Arun Jaitley stadium as he came on to bat but the dream for fans didn't last long. Also Read: Delhi vs Railways Day 2, Ranji Trophy Latest Updates Himanshu Sangwan had been hit for a four down the ground on a slightly fuller ball. The Railways bowler immediately corrected his length and the next ball went through the gate of Kohli's defence - uprooting his off-stump. Have a look at the wicket below: Virat Kohli scored more than expected. If this is their condition in Ranji, they should retire Asap. pic.twitter.com/5gBKICySJF — Facts (@BefittingFacts) January 31, 2025 Delhi vs Railways Match Update - Day 2 Delhi started the day from the overnight score of 41/1, trailing by 200 runs in the first innings. Overnight batters Yash Dhull and Sanat Sangwan batted well and added 67 runs for the second wicket before Dhull was dismissed on 32. Railways pacer Rahul Sharma trapped Dhull LBW in the 24th over of the innings. The ball looked going above the stumps but the on-field umpire decided otherwise and gave Dhull out, much to his dismay. Kohli then walked in to bat to a thunderous roar of the crowd which started leaving as soon as the India star was dismissed. Sangwan dismissed Sanat in his next over, bringing Delhi to four down for less than 100 runs. Skipper Ayush Badoni then got support from Sumit Mathur and steadied the innings. The duo added 71 unbeaten runs for the fifth wicket with Badoni reaching his 50 as well while Mathur scored 28 by the time the first session came to an end. By lunch on day 2, Delhi were trailing by 73 runs in the first innings having finished the first session at 168/4 with Badoni looking solid for them.

Delhi vs Railways, Ranji Trophy: WATCH | Virat Kohli bowled for 6 on return

In a delightful moment during the ongoing Delhi versus Railways Ranji Trophy match on Thursday (Jan 30), cricket fans were treated to an emotional scene when Virat Kohli celebrated with Navdeep Saini after the latter bowled out Vivek Singh for a duck. <o:p></o:p>
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Virat comes with emotional moment<o:p></o:p></h2>
The moment unfolded in the seventh over, when Navdeep bowled a well-executed length delivery that swung inward, catching Vivek completely off guard. With a poor shot selection, Vivek failed to pick up the movement of the ball, which crashed into the off-stump, leaving him with no runs after facing just 14 balls.<o:p></o:p>
But what made this moment stand out wasn&rsquo;t just the dismissal&mdash;it was the heartfelt embrace shared between Kohli and Saini immediately after. The two players, who had shared the IPL field together as teammates for Royal Challengers Bangalore from 2019 to 2021, demonstrated their strong bond in this brief, yet touching moment of celebration.<o:p></o:p>
Virat, visibly excited, raced to Saini with an exuberant hug, relishing the wicket that put Delhi in a commanding position.<o:p></o:p>
ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ranji-trophy-mumbai-vs-meghalaya-watch-video-shardul-thakur-takes-hattrick-for-mumbai-8674030" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Ranji Trophy, Mumbai vs Meghalaya: WATCH | Shardul Thakur takes hattrick for Mumbai</a> 
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Virat Kohli returns for Delhi<o:p></o:p></h2>
Playing after over a decade in the Ranji Trophy, Virat&rsquo;s Delhi made a dominant start to the contest against Railways on Thursday. The visitors were 21/3 in the first hour of the opening session as Navdeep (62/3) and Siddhant Sharma (35/2) dominated. Railways lost wickets at regular intervals as the home side asserted their dominance. Upendra Yadav starred with the bat for the visitors as he scored 95 before being scalped by Sumit Mathur on 95.<o:p></o:p>
The wicketkeeper-batter was unfortunate to miss out on a ton before the tail was wrapped in the final session. Karn Sharma (50), Mohammad Saif (24) and Himanshu Sangwan (29) showed little resistance with the bat for the Railways before they were bowled out for 241.

Sports, Cricket: The moment unfolded in the seventh over, when Navdeep bowled a well-executed length delivery that swung inward, catching Vivek Singh completely off guard.

In a delightful moment during the ongoing Delhi versus Railways Ranji Trophy match on Thursday (Jan 30), cricket fans were treated to an emotional scene when Virat Kohli celebrated with Navdeep Saini after the latter bowled out Vivek Singh for a duck. Virat comes with emotional moment The moment unfolded in the seventh over, when Navdeep bowled a well-executed length delivery that swung inward, catching Vivek completely off guard. With a poor shot selection, Vivek failed to pick up the movement of the ball, which crashed into the off-stump, leaving him with no runs after facing just 14 balls. But what made this moment stand out wasn’t just the dismissal—it was the heartfelt embrace shared between Kohli and Saini immediately after. The two players, who had shared the IPL field together as teammates for Royal Challengers Bangalore from 2019 to 2021, demonstrated their strong bond in this brief, yet touching moment of celebration. Virat, visibly excited, raced to Saini with an exuberant hug, relishing the wicket that put Delhi in a commanding position. ALSO READ | Ranji Trophy, Mumbai vs Meghalaya: WATCH | Shardul Thakur takes hattrick for Mumbai Virat Kohli returns for Delhi Playing after over a decade in the Ranji Trophy, Virat’s Delhi made a dominant start to the contest against Railways on Thursday. The visitors were 21/3 in the first hour of the opening session as Navdeep (62/3) and Siddhant Sharma (35/2) dominated. Railways lost wickets at regular intervals as the home side asserted their dominance. Upendra Yadav starred with the bat for the visitors as he scored 95 before being scalped by Sumit Mathur on 95. The wicketkeeper-batter was unfortunate to miss out on a ton before the tail was wrapped in the final session. Karn Sharma (50), Mohammad Saif (24) and Himanshu Sangwan (29) showed little resistance with the bat for the Railways before they were bowled out for 241.

Ranji Trophy: Virat steals spotlight with heart-warming hug to Navdeep Saini as Delhi dominate vs Railways

As <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/navdeep-saini">Navdeep Saini</a> walked towards the group of reporters, his eyes were beaming with confidence, and his stride was the kind that comes with a sense of purpose and joy. <o:p></o:p>
His broad smile and relaxed demeanour reflected the excitement of the day, one that had seen him deliver a brilliant performance with the ball on a charged-up opening day of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ranji-trophy">Ranji Trophy</a> match. The atmosphere around Arun Jaitley Stadium was electric, largely due to Virat Kohli&rsquo;s much-anticipated return to domestic cricket with Delhi, and Saini&rsquo;s energy was just as infectious.<o:p></o:p>
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/sl-vs-aus-galle-test-sri-lanka-lose-three-quick-wickets-after-australia-declare-on-654-6-8675605">SL vs AUS, Galle Test: Sri Lanka lose three quick wickets after Australia declare on 654-6</a>
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/virat-kohli">Virat Kohli</a>&rsquo;s much-anticipated return to domestic cricket through the Ranji Trophy match for Delhi against Railways sparked an electric atmosphere at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. For pacer Navdeep Saini, who claimed 3-62 on day one, the excitement was palpable.<o:p></o:p>
&ldquo;Look, it&rsquo;s a big deal for me too, playing alongside Kohli. He&rsquo;s a legend. Just being in the dressing room with him lifts the whole team&rsquo;s energy. Over the past two days, our practice sessions have been a different vibe. His energy is so high that it lifts everyone around him. He&rsquo;s so involved on the field, always talking to the bowlers and the captain,&rdquo; shared Saini.<o:p></o:p>
&ldquo;Kohli gives 110% in everything&mdash;whether he&rsquo;s batting, fielding, or in the gym. Watching him train pushes you to follow his lead. That kind of effort carries over to the match itself. We didn&rsquo;t expect such a huge crowd, but when we walked into the ground this morning, the queue was so long that we knew we were in for something special,&rdquo; Saini added, reflecting on the hype.<o:p></o:p>
Asked if there was pressure on the young Delhi players with such a large crowd in attendance, Saini replied, &ldquo;For the younger guys, it&rsquo;s a proud moment to share the dressing room with Virat. Whether you're fielding at slip with him or asking him for advice on how to improve your game, it&rsquo;s a golden opportunity to learn.&rdquo;<o:p></o:p>
A standout moment of the day came when Karn Sharma attempted a big shot but was caught brilliantly by Yash Dhull in the deep. Kohli was the first to applaud Dhull&rsquo;s effort, sparking a roar from the crowd, who immediately began chanting, &ldquo;Kohli, Kohli.&rdquo;<o:p></o:p>
<h2 class="MsoNormal">'Captain and I discussed the short-ball plan'</h2>
Reflecting on the game&rsquo;s strategy, Saini explained, "The captain and I discussed the short-ball plan, and Virat had a word with Badoni too. The pitch wasn&rsquo;t offering much, so we stayed patient. We knew bouncers could give us a chance for a wicket, even if we conceded some runs, and that&rsquo;s exactly what happened."<o:p></o:p>
Saini was also surprised by the pitch&rsquo;s behaviour after lunch, as it seemed to ease up despite having a greenish tinge earlier. &ldquo;The conditions in the morning were perfect for bowling, but the pitch played differently in the second session than we expected.&rdquo;<o:p></o:p>

Cricket Sports: Navdeep Saini was also surprised by the pitch’s behaviour after lunch session, as it seemed to ease up despite having a greenish tinge earlier

As Navdeep Saini walked towards the group of reporters, his eyes were beaming with confidence, and his stride was the kind that comes with a sense of purpose and joy. His broad smile and relaxed demeanour reflected the excitement of the day, one that had seen him deliver a brilliant performance with the ball on a charged-up opening day of the Ranji Trophy match. The atmosphere around Arun Jaitley Stadium was electric, largely due to Virat Kohli’s much-anticipated return to domestic cricket with Delhi, and Saini’s energy was just as infectious. Also Read: SL vs AUS, Galle Test: Sri Lanka lose three quick wickets after Australia declare on 654-6 Virat Kohli’s much-anticipated return to domestic cricket through the Ranji Trophy match for Delhi against Railways sparked an electric atmosphere at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. For pacer Navdeep Saini, who claimed 3-62 on day one, the excitement was palpable. “Look, it’s a big deal for me too, playing alongside Kohli. He’s a legend. Just being in the dressing room with him lifts the whole team’s energy. Over the past two days, our practice sessions have been a different vibe. His energy is so high that it lifts everyone around him. He’s so involved on the field, always talking to the bowlers and the captain,” shared Saini. “Kohli gives 110% in everything—whether he’s batting, fielding, or in the gym. Watching him train pushes you to follow his lead. That kind of effort carries over to the match itself. We didn’t expect such a huge crowd, but when we walked into the ground this morning, the queue was so long that we knew we were in for something special,” Saini added, reflecting on the hype. Asked if there was pressure on the young Delhi players with such a large crowd in attendance, Saini replied, “For the younger guys, it’s a proud moment to share the dressing room with Virat. Whether you're fielding at slip with him or asking him for advice on how to improve your game, it’s a golden opportunity to learn.” A standout moment of the day came when Karn Sharma attempted a big shot but was caught brilliantly by Yash Dhull in the deep. Kohli was the first to applaud Dhull’s effort, sparking a roar from the crowd, who immediately began chanting, “Kohli, Kohli.” 'Captain and I discussed the short-ball plan' Reflecting on the game’s strategy, Saini explained, "The captain and I discussed the short-ball plan, and Virat had a word with Badoni too. The pitch wasn’t offering much, so we stayed patient. We knew bouncers could give us a chance for a wicket, even if we conceded some runs, and that’s exactly what happened." Saini was also surprised by the pitch’s behaviour after lunch, as it seemed to ease up despite having a greenish tinge earlier. “The conditions in the morning were perfect for bowling, but the pitch played differently in the second session than we expected.”

Ranji Trophy 2025: Kohli inspires, Saini delivers amid electric atmosphere

Former India captain Virat Kohli made his return to domestic red-ball cricket on Thursday (Jan 30) as it highlighted day 1 of the Ranji Trophy group stage contest. The day also saw Mumbai veteran Shardul Thakur take a hattrick while playing against Meghalaya. However, it was Virat who stole the show as fans thronged the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi as Virat tries to find form before the Champions Trophy 2025.
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Virat Kohli returns for Delhi</h2>
Playing in the Ranji Trophy after over a decade, Virat&rsquo;s Delhi made a dominant start to the contest against Railways on Thursday. The visitors were 21/3 in the first hour of the opening session as Navdeep Saini (62/3) and Siddhant Sharma (35/2) dominated. Railways lost wickets at regular intervals as the home side asserted their dominance. Upendra Yadav starred with the bat for the visitors as he scored 95 before being scalped by Sumit Mathur on 95.
The wicketkeeper-batter was unfortunate to miss out on a ton before the tail was wrapped in the final session. Karn Sharma (50), Mohammad Saif (24) and Himanshu Sangwan (29) showed little resistance with the bat for the Railways before they were bowled out for 241.
Delhi were called into bat in the final session of the day, and they closed at 41/1 in 10 overs. Arpit Rana was dismissed for 10, while former India U-19 captain Yash Dhull (unbeaten 17) and Sanat Sangwan (unbeaten 9) are still in the middle. Virat is likely to come out to bat on Day 2 at number 4 on Friday as fans keep a close eye on him. Around 15,000 fans were present for the Ranji Trophy contest to witness the return of Virat Kohli at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.
ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ranji-trophy-mumbai-vs-meghalaya-watch-video-shardul-thakur-takes-hattrick-for-mumbai-8674030" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Ranji Trophy, Mumbai vs Meghalaya: WATCH | Shardul Thakur takes hattrick for Mumbai</a>
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Shardul scalps hattrick</h2>
In another match, Shardul Thakur made headlines with a hattrick against Meghalaya for Mumbai. The veteran scalped four wickets as he and Mohit Avasthi demolished the opposition batting line-up as Meghalaya were bowled out for 86. Mumbai then came out to bat and closed the day on 213/2 with Siddhesh Lad (89) and Ajinkya Rahane (83) in the middle.

Sports, Cricket: Former India captain Virat Kohli made his return to domestic red-ball cricket on Thursday as it highlighted day 1 of the Ranji Trophy group stage contest. 

Former India captain Virat Kohli made his return to domestic red-ball cricket on Thursday (Jan 30) as it highlighted day 1 of the Ranji Trophy group stage contest. The day also saw Mumbai veteran Shardul Thakur take a hattrick while playing against Meghalaya. However, it was Virat who stole the show as fans thronged the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi as Virat tries to find form before the Champions Trophy 2025. Virat Kohli returns for Delhi Playing in the Ranji Trophy after over a decade, Virat’s Delhi made a dominant start to the contest against Railways on Thursday. The visitors were 21/3 in the first hour of the opening session as Navdeep Saini (62/3) and Siddhant Sharma (35/2) dominated. Railways lost wickets at regular intervals as the home side asserted their dominance. Upendra Yadav starred with the bat for the visitors as he scored 95 before being scalped by Sumit Mathur on 95. The wicketkeeper-batter was unfortunate to miss out on a ton before the tail was wrapped in the final session. Karn Sharma (50), Mohammad Saif (24) and Himanshu Sangwan (29) showed little resistance with the bat for the Railways before they were bowled out for 241. Delhi were called into bat in the final session of the day, and they closed at 41/1 in 10 overs. Arpit Rana was dismissed for 10, while former India U-19 captain Yash Dhull (unbeaten 17) and Sanat Sangwan (unbeaten 9) are still in the middle. Virat is likely to come out to bat on Day 2 at number 4 on Friday as fans keep a close eye on him. Around 15,000 fans were present for the Ranji Trophy contest to witness the return of Virat Kohli at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. ALSO READ | Ranji Trophy, Mumbai vs Meghalaya: WATCH | Shardul Thakur takes hattrick for Mumbai Shardul scalps hattrick In another match, Shardul Thakur made headlines with a hattrick against Meghalaya for Mumbai. The veteran scalped four wickets as he and Mohit Avasthi demolished the opposition batting line-up as Meghalaya were bowled out for 86. Mumbai then came out to bat and closed the day on 213/2 with Siddhesh Lad (89) and Ajinkya Rahane (83) in the middle.

Ranji Trophy wrap: Virat Kohli's return headlines Day 1; Shardul Thakur takes hattrick for champions Mumbai

The sun blazed down on Delhi, but nothing burned brighter than the passion of thousands of fans swarming the Arun Jaitley Stadium, their voices rising in unison&mdash; &ldquo;Kohli! Kohli!&rdquo; &nbsp;
Also Read: <a class="gh-archive-page-post-title-link" href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/virat-kohli-delhi-vs-railways-ranji-trophy-live-cricket-match-score-card-today-jan-28-live-blog-8669798" aria-label="Virat Kohli in Delhi vs Railways Ranji Trophy Live Score and Updates: Railways near 200-run mark">Virat Kohli in Delhi vs Railways Ranji Trophy Match Score and Updates</a>
The air crackled with excitement as eager supporters, draped in blue jerseys and hoisting posters of their idol, jostled for a glimpse of the cricketing maestro. With the frenzy reaching fever pitch, security personnel moved swiftly to tighten measures, ensuring the stadium remained a fortress against the unstoppable tide of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/virat-kohli">Virat Kohli</a> mania.&nbsp;
Seeing the overwhelming number of fans in attendance for the Delhi-Railways <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ranji-trophy">Ranji Trophy</a> game on Thursday (Jan 30) at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) said that more gates are slated to be opened for letting in spectators keen to see Virat Kohli in action.
Also Read: <a class="gh-archive-page-post-title-link" href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ranji-trophy-mumbai-vs-meghalaya-watch-video-shardul-thakur-takes-hattrick-for-mumbai-8674030" aria-label="Ranji Trophy, Mumbai vs Meghalaya: WATCH | Shardul Thakur takes hattrick for Mumbai">Ranji Trophy, Mumbai vs Meghalaya: WATCH | Shardul Thakur takes hattrick for Mumbai</a>
The sources have also said that top DDCA officials are currently meeting to get food arrangements for fans up and running from day one. It is understood that the expectation for fan attendance by DDCA was at 10,000, with gates 16 and 17 being opened and entry to be done on the basis of the Aadhaar card.
But with fans upwards of 15,000 from all parts of Delhi, as well as Noida, Ghaziabad and rest of the NCR region thronging the stadium and standing in queues from as early as 3 am, DDCA calculations went awry, and they had to open gate number 18 also for spectator entry before action began at 9:30 am, as Delhi won the toss and elected to bowl first against Railways.&nbsp;
The fans wishing to see Kohli in action were chanting names of him and IPL team Royal Challengers Bengaluru outside the venue, as well as in the Gautam Gambhir and Bishen Singh Bedi stands. With the work on food arrangements going on, RO water counters are already present in the stadium and are in working condition.&nbsp;
Sources also said the DDCA is increasing the presence of police personnel, aside from the previously made private security arrangements, especially after an eager fan ran in from North Stand to touch Kohli&rsquo;s feet during the 12th over and was taken away, though the batting stalwart, stationed at second slip, asked for the intruder to be not hit harshly.&nbsp;
&ldquo;We generally have 25-30 people for security in a Ranji Trophy game in Delhi. But with Virat coming in, we got 50 and now 100 security personnel in the stadium. We will get police people once they are done with their work around VIP movement in Rajghat,&rdquo; added the sources.&nbsp;
Police personnel had been stationed near the boundary ropes of North and West stands to ensure no intruder invaded the field after the previous incident. The sources have also said that they have never seen these many spectators in attendance for a domestic red-ball game in New Delhi after a Duleep Trophy clash in the 80s, where Kapil Dev and Sunil Gavaskar were in action for North and West Zones respectively, highlighting the pull Kohli has in Indian cricket.

Ranji Trophy 2025:  The Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) said that more gates are slated to be opened for letting in spectators keen to see Virat Kohli play. Cricket Sports

The sun blazed down on Delhi, but nothing burned brighter than the passion of thousands of fans swarming the Arun Jaitley Stadium, their voices rising in unison— “Kohli! Kohli!” Also Read: Virat Kohli in Delhi vs Railways Ranji Trophy Match Score and Updates The air crackled with excitement as eager supporters, draped in blue jerseys and hoisting posters of their idol, jostled for a glimpse of the cricketing maestro. With the frenzy reaching fever pitch, security personnel moved swiftly to tighten measures, ensuring the stadium remained a fortress against the unstoppable tide of Virat Kohli mania. Seeing the overwhelming number of fans in attendance for the Delhi-Railways Ranji Trophy game on Thursday (Jan 30) at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) said that more gates are slated to be opened for letting in spectators keen to see Virat Kohli in action. Also Read: Ranji Trophy, Mumbai vs Meghalaya: WATCH | Shardul Thakur takes hattrick for Mumbai The sources have also said that top DDCA officials are currently meeting to get food arrangements for fans up and running from day one. It is understood that the expectation for fan attendance by DDCA was at 10,000, with gates 16 and 17 being opened and entry to be done on the basis of the Aadhaar card. But with fans upwards of 15,000 from all parts of Delhi, as well as Noida, Ghaziabad and rest of the NCR region thronging the stadium and standing in queues from as early as 3 am, DDCA calculations went awry, and they had to open gate number 18 also for spectator entry before action began at 9:30 am, as Delhi won the toss and elected to bowl first against Railways. The fans wishing to see Kohli in action were chanting names of him and IPL team Royal Challengers Bengaluru outside the venue, as well as in the Gautam Gambhir and Bishen Singh Bedi stands. With the work on food arrangements going on, RO water counters are already present in the stadium and are in working condition. Sources also said the DDCA is increasing the presence of police personnel, aside from the previously made private security arrangements, especially after an eager fan ran in from North Stand to touch Kohli’s feet during the 12th over and was taken away, though the batting stalwart, stationed at second slip, asked for the intruder to be not hit harshly. “We generally have 25-30 people for security in a Ranji Trophy game in Delhi. But with Virat coming in, we got 50 and now 100 security personnel in the stadium. We will get police people once they are done with their work around VIP movement in Rajghat,” added the sources. Police personnel had been stationed near the boundary ropes of North and West stands to ensure no intruder invaded the field after the previous incident. The sources have also said that they have never seen these many spectators in attendance for a domestic red-ball game in New Delhi after a Duleep Trophy clash in the 80s, where Kapil Dev and Sunil Gavaskar were in action for North and West Zones respectively, highlighting the pull Kohli has in Indian cricket.

Ranji Trophy 2025: Virat Kohli’s presence at stadium leads to heightened security as fans chant his name

Virat Kohli's involvement in Delhi <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ranji-trophy" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Ranji Trophy</a> match against Railways on Thursday (Jan 30) pulled more than 10,000 fans to Arun Jaitley stadium - a sight rarely seen in domestic matches. The entry was free for fans and they were waiting outside stadium gates from as early as 5 AM to watch their favorite local boy play.
Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) president Rohan Jaitley also acknowledged the importance of fans coming to watch domestic cricket. Jaitely, while talking to WION's Jatin Verma at the stadium, called <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/virat-kohli" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Virat Kohli</a>'s decision to play for Delhi a great moment.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/virat-kohli-delhi-vs-railways-ranji-trophy-live-cricket-match-score-card-today-jan-28-live-blog-8669798" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Delhi vs Railways Ranji Trophy Match Score and Updates</a>
"It is great for domestic cricket (Kohli turning up)," Jaitely said as around nearly 15,000 fans packed the Arun Jaitely stadium. "I also got request for passes which shows how big this game is," Jaitley added.
<h2>Not witnessed such scenes</h2>
&ldquo;I have been involved in Delhi cricket for more than 30 years but I have not witnessed such scenes for a Ranji Trophy game. It just shows the Kohli&rsquo;s popularity is unmatched," DDCA secretary Ashok Sharma told news agency PTI.
&ldquo;What made it more challenging was that fans entering the stadium coincided with the VIP movement of PM Modi on the outside roads and as part of his strict security protocol and to maintain order, we were instructed by the police to open another stand for the public," he revealed.
While the DDCA had made all the arrangements for the safety of players and everyone else, a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/delhi-vs-railways-ranji-trophy-video-virat-kohli-fan-breaches-security-and-runs-on-ground-to-meet-him-8673225">fan still breached security</a> and ran onto the pitch to meet Kohli.
The fan, who came from the Gautam Gambhir stand as reported by WION's Jatin Verma from the stadium, ran towards Virat Kohli who was fielding in the slips. He went ahead and touched Kohli's feet before security arrived and took him away.

Delhi vs Railways, Ranji Trophy: As Virat Kohli pulls huge crowd in comeback match, DDCA officials hailed the moment as great for domestic cricket. Sports

Virat Kohli's involvement in Delhi Ranji Trophy match against Railways on Thursday (Jan 30) pulled more than 10,000 fans to Arun Jaitley stadium - a sight rarely seen in domestic matches. The entry was free for fans and they were waiting outside stadium gates from as early as 5 AM to watch their favorite local boy play. Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) president Rohan Jaitley also acknowledged the importance of fans coming to watch domestic cricket. Jaitely, while talking to WION's Jatin Verma at the stadium, called Virat Kohli's decision to play for Delhi a great moment. Also Read: Delhi vs Railways Ranji Trophy Match Score and Updates "It is great for domestic cricket (Kohli turning up)," Jaitely said as around nearly 15,000 fans packed the Arun Jaitely stadium. "I also got request for passes which shows how big this game is," Jaitley added. Not witnessed such scenes “I have been involved in Delhi cricket for more than 30 years but I have not witnessed such scenes for a Ranji Trophy game. It just shows the Kohli’s popularity is unmatched," DDCA secretary Ashok Sharma told news agency PTI. “What made it more challenging was that fans entering the stadium coincided with the VIP movement of PM Modi on the outside roads and as part of his strict security protocol and to maintain order, we were instructed by the police to open another stand for the public," he revealed. While the DDCA had made all the arrangements for the safety of players and everyone else, a fan still breached security and ran onto the pitch to meet Kohli. The fan, who came from the Gautam Gambhir stand as reported by WION's Jatin Verma from the stadium, ran towards Virat Kohli who was fielding in the slips. He went ahead and touched Kohli's feet before security arrived and took him away.

Delhi vs Railways, Ranji Trophy: 'Great for domestic cricket,' say DDCA officials as Virat Kohli pulls huge crowd in comeback match

Mumbai all-rounder <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/shardul-thakur" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Shardul Thakur</a> rocked Meghalaya in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ranji-trophy" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Ranji Trophy</a> match on Thursday (Jan 30) with a hattrick. Shardul removed Balchander Anirudh, Sumit Kumar, Jaskirat Singh Sachdevaon on last three balls of the third over in first innings to complete his hattrick.
Shardul first bowled Anirudh on the fourth ball of his over before sending back Sumit who was caught by Shams Mulani on the next ball. He then clean bowled Sachdeva to complete his hattrick. Have a look at the videos below:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Balchander Anirudh ✅ Sumit Kumar ✅ Jaskirat Singh Sachdeva ✅ Shardul Thakur is on fire 🔥 He's picked up a 𝗵𝗮𝘁-𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗸 to help Mumbai bowl out Meghalaya for 86 👌👌<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RanjiTrophy?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RanjiTrophy</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/imShard?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@imShard</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/MumbaiCricAssoc?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MumbaiCricAssoc</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/IDFCFIRSTBank?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@IDFCFIRSTBank</a> Scorecard ▶️ <a href="https://t.co/9ApJe0CgxG">https://t.co/9ApJe0CgxG</a> <a href="https://t.co/B9azjgx1JB">pic.twitter.com/B9azjgx1JB</a>
&mdash; BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) <a href="https://twitter.com/BCCIdomestic/status/1884859096089886890?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 30, 2025</a></blockquote>

<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<h2>Mumbai all over Meghalaya</h2>
Electing to field first after winning the toss, Mumbai were on top in the first over itself when Thakur sent back Nishanta Chakraborty for a duck. In the next over, Mohit Avasthi clean bowled Kishan Lyngdoh before Thakur took his hattrick.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/virat-kohli-delhi-vs-railways-ranji-trophy-live-cricket-match-score-card-today-jan-28-live-blog-8669798" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Virat Kohli in Delhi vs Railways Ranji Trophy Match Score and Updates</a>
Avasthi then took one more wicket in the fourth over as Meghalaya were down on its knees with six wickets gone for just two runs on the board.
Meghalaya's lower order then tried to wrest the free fall. Pringsang Sangma scored 19 runs, skipper Akash Choudhary managed 16, Anish Charak hit 17 while Himan Phukan top scored with 28 off 24 balls. Meghalaya, however, were still bowled out for a paltry 86 runs.
For Mumbai, Thakur picked 4/43 in his 11 overs while Avasthi took 3/27 in seven overs. Apart from them, Sylvester D&rsquo;Souza returned the figures of 2/14 while Mulani picked 1/1 in the only over he bowled.
Thakur had also played an important role for Mumbai in the last match against Jammu and Kashmir with bat and ball. The match got attention for India skipper&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/rohit-sharma">Rohit Sharma</a>'s participation but he couldn't perform according to his stature.
Thakur scored 51 in the first innings and 119 in the second to go with his two wickets in J&amp;K's first innings but Mumbai eventually went on to lose the match by five wickets.

Ranji Trophy: Mumbai's Shardul removed Balchander Anirudh, Sumit Kumar, Jaskirat Singh Sachdevaon on last three balls of the third over in first innings to complete his hattrick. Cricket Sports

Mumbai all-rounder Shardul Thakur rocked Meghalaya in Ranji Trophy match on Thursday (Jan 30) with a hattrick. Shardul removed Balchander Anirudh, Sumit Kumar, Jaskirat Singh Sachdevaon on last three balls of the third over in first innings to complete his hattrick. Shardul first bowled Anirudh on the fourth ball of his over before sending back Sumit who was caught by Shams Mulani on the next ball. He then clean bowled Sachdeva to complete his hattrick. Have a look at the videos below: Balchander Anirudh ✅ Sumit Kumar ✅ Jaskirat Singh Sachdeva ✅ Shardul Thakur is on fire 🔥 He's picked up a 𝗵𝗮𝘁-𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗸 to help Mumbai bowl out Meghalaya for 86 👌👌#RanjiTrophy | @imShard | @MumbaiCricAssoc | @IDFCFIRSTBank Scorecard ▶️ https://t.co/9ApJe0CgxG pic.twitter.com/B9azjgx1JB — BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) January 30, 2025 Mumbai all over Meghalaya Electing to field first after winning the toss, Mumbai were on top in the first over itself when Thakur sent back Nishanta Chakraborty for a duck. In the next over, Mohit Avasthi clean bowled Kishan Lyngdoh before Thakur took his hattrick. Also Read: Virat Kohli in Delhi vs Railways Ranji Trophy Match Score and Updates Avasthi then took one more wicket in the fourth over as Meghalaya were down on its knees with six wickets gone for just two runs on the board. Meghalaya's lower order then tried to wrest the free fall. Pringsang Sangma scored 19 runs, skipper Akash Choudhary managed 16, Anish Charak hit 17 while Himan Phukan top scored with 28 off 24 balls. Meghalaya, however, were still bowled out for a paltry 86 runs. For Mumbai, Thakur picked 4/43 in his 11 overs while Avasthi took 3/27 in seven overs. Apart from them, Sylvester D’Souza returned the figures of 2/14 while Mulani picked 1/1 in the only over he bowled. Thakur had also played an important role for Mumbai in the last match against Jammu and Kashmir with bat and ball. The match got attention for India skipper Rohit Sharma's participation but he couldn't perform according to his stature. Thakur scored 51 in the first innings and 119 in the second to go with his two wickets in J&K's first innings but Mumbai eventually went on to lose the match by five wickets.

Ranji Trophy, Mumbai vs Meghalaya: WATCH | Shardul Thakur takes hattrick for Mumbai

Virat Kohli's comeback to <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ranji-trophy">Ranji Trophy</a> for Delhi against Railways on Thursday (Jan 30) <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/virat-kohli-in-delhi-vs-railways-ranji-trophy-watch-video-huge-crowd-outside-stadium-in-kohlis-comeback-match-8669859">attracted a huge crowd</a> at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. While the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) had made all the arrangements for the safety of players and everyone else, a fan still breached security and ran onto the pitch to meet Kohli.
The fan, who came from the Gautam Gambhir stand as reported by WION's Jatin Verma from the stadium, ran towards&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/virat-kohli">Virat Kohli</a> who was fielding in the slips. He went ahead and touched Kohli's feet before security arrived and took him away. Watch as it happened:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Fan breaches security during <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/delhivsrailways?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#delhivsrailways</a> to meet <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ViratKohli?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ViratKohli</a> in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RanjiTrophy?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RanjiTrophy</a> <a href="https://t.co/lggpWw3nBN">pic.twitter.com/lggpWw3nBN</a>
&mdash; Prashant (@journoinmaking) <a href="https://twitter.com/journoinmaking/status/1884838414023061942?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 30, 2025</a></blockquote>

<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<h2>'Kohli, Kohli' in Delhi vs Railways</h2>
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) also posted a video of a large crowd in the Gautam Gambhir stand. Kohli, during the match, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/delhi-vs-railways-ranji-trophy-virat-kohli-chants-of-kohli-kohli-india-batter-greets-fans-in-comeback-match-8670047">waved to fans and greeted them</a> for the warm support.
Also Read: <a class="gh-archive-page-post-title-link" href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/virat-kohli-delhi-vs-railways-ranji-trophy-live-cricket-match-score-card-today-jan-28-live-blog-8669798" aria-label="Virat Kohli in Delhi vs Railways Ranji Trophy Live Score and Updates: Railways try to build up after early jolts">Virat Kohli in Delhi vs Railways Ranji Trophy Match Score and Updates</a>
"The fans have come out in huge numbers for the Delhi vs Railways match. The Arun Jaitley Stadium is buzzing," wrote BCCI Domestic on its official X handle along with the video.
India star Virat Kohli made his return to domestic cricket after 13 years when he took the field against Railways for Delhi for the first time since 2012. Railways were asked to bat first after Delhi skipper Ayush Badoni won the toss. Kohli was stationed in slips during early overs - a position where he fields generally for India in Tests as well.
Kohli is one of the high-profile players, including Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Ravindra Jadeja, to feature in Ranji Trophy matches for their respective teams.
The participation comes in the wake of the BCCI making it mandatory for the players to play domestic cricket after the recent series losses against New Zealand and Australia in Tests.

Delhi vs Railways Ranji Trophy: The fan, who came from the Gautam Gambhir stand during the match, ran towards Virat Kohli who was fielding in the slips. Cricket Sports

Virat Kohli's comeback to Ranji Trophy for Delhi against Railways on Thursday (Jan 30) attracted a huge crowd at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. While the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) had made all the arrangements for the safety of players and everyone else, a fan still breached security and ran onto the pitch to meet Kohli. The fan, who came from the Gautam Gambhir stand as reported by WION's Jatin Verma from the stadium, ran towards Virat Kohli who was fielding in the slips. He went ahead and touched Kohli's feet before security arrived and took him away. Watch as it happened: Fan breaches security during #delhivsrailways to meet #ViratKohli in #RanjiTrophy pic.twitter.com/lggpWw3nBN — Prashant (@journoinmaking) January 30, 2025 'Kohli, Kohli' in Delhi vs Railways The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) also posted a video of a large crowd in the Gautam Gambhir stand. Kohli, during the match, waved to fans and greeted them for the warm support. Also Read: Virat Kohli in Delhi vs Railways Ranji Trophy Match Score and Updates "The fans have come out in huge numbers for the Delhi vs Railways match. The Arun Jaitley Stadium is buzzing," wrote BCCI Domestic on its official X handle along with the video. India star Virat Kohli made his return to domestic cricket after 13 years when he took the field against Railways for Delhi for the first time since 2012. Railways were asked to bat first after Delhi skipper Ayush Badoni won the toss. Kohli was stationed in slips during early overs - a position where he fields generally for India in Tests as well. Kohli is one of the high-profile players, including Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Ravindra Jadeja, to feature in Ranji Trophy matches for their respective teams. The participation comes in the wake of the BCCI making it mandatory for the players to play domestic cricket after the recent series losses against New Zealand and Australia in Tests.

Delhi vs Railways Ranji Trophy: WATCH | Fan breaches security and runs on ground to meet Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli's comeback in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ranji-trophy">Ranji Trophy</a> match for Delhi against Railways on Thursday (Jan 30) pulled huge crowd to the Arun Jaitley Stadium. The fans were <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/virat-kohli-in-delhi-vs-railways-ranji-trophy-watch-video-huge-crowd-outside-stadium-in-kohlis-comeback-match-8669859" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">waiting in large number</a> since early morning for entry in the stadium which was declared free by the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA).
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) also posted a video of large crowd in Gautam Gambhir stand. Kohli, during the match, waved to fans and greeted them for the warm support received.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/virat-kohli-delhi-vs-railways-ranji-trophy-live-cricket-match-score-card-today-jan-28-live-blog-8669798">Virat Kohli in Delhi vs Railways Ranji Trophy Match Score and Updates</a>
"The fans have come out in huge numbers for the Delhi vs Railways match. The Arun Jaitley Stadium is buzzing," wrote BCCI Domestic on official X handle along with sharing the below video:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
The fans have come out in huge numbers for the Delhi vs Railways match 👌👌 The Arun Jaitley Stadium is buzzing 🔥<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RanjiTrophy?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RanjiTrophy</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/IDFCFIRSTBank?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@IDFCFIRSTBank</a> Scorecard ▶️ <a href="https://t.co/IhwXam3F5T">https://t.co/IhwXam3F5T</a> <a href="https://t.co/ATCyjCAX1Y">pic.twitter.com/ATCyjCAX1Y</a>
&mdash; BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) <a href="https://twitter.com/BCCIdomestic/status/1884825447256711428?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 30, 2025</a></blockquote>

<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<h2>Kohli-mania in Delhi vs Railways</h2>
India star <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/virat-kohli">Virat Kohli</a> made his return to domestic cricket after 13 years when he took the field against Railways for Delhi, first time since 2012. Railways were asked to bat first after Delhi skipper Ayush Badoni won the toss. Kohli was stationed in slips during early overs - a position where he fields generally for India in Tests as well.
Kohli is one of the high-profile players, including Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Ravindra Jadeja, to feature in Ranji Trophy matches for their respective teams.
The participation comes in the wake of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) making it mandatory for the player to play domestic cricket after the recent series losses against New Zealand and Australia in Tests.
Kohli made his debut for Delhi in 2006 against Tamil Nadu before playing his last match in 2012. In six years, the former Indian skipper went on to play 23 matches - scoring 1,574 runs at an average of 50.70.
Overall, Kohli has played 155 first-class matches (including his 123 Tests) and has scored 11,479 runs (including 9,230 Test runs) at an average of 55.96 with 37 hundreds (30 in Tests) and 39 fifties (31 in Tests).

Delhi vs Railways Ranji Trophy: BCCI posted a video of large crowd in stand. Kohli, during the match, waved to fans and greeted them for the warm support received. Cricket Sports

Virat Kohli's comeback in Ranji Trophy match for Delhi against Railways on Thursday (Jan 30) pulled huge crowd to the Arun Jaitley Stadium. The fans were waiting in large number since early morning for entry in the stadium which was declared free by the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA). The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) also posted a video of large crowd in Gautam Gambhir stand. Kohli, during the match, waved to fans and greeted them for the warm support received. Also Read: Virat Kohli in Delhi vs Railways Ranji Trophy Match Score and Updates "The fans have come out in huge numbers for the Delhi vs Railways match. The Arun Jaitley Stadium is buzzing," wrote BCCI Domestic on official X handle along with sharing the below video: The fans have come out in huge numbers for the Delhi vs Railways match 👌👌 The Arun Jaitley Stadium is buzzing 🔥#RanjiTrophy | @IDFCFIRSTBank Scorecard ▶️ https://t.co/IhwXam3F5T pic.twitter.com/ATCyjCAX1Y — BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) January 30, 2025 Kohli-mania in Delhi vs Railways India star Virat Kohli made his return to domestic cricket after 13 years when he took the field against Railways for Delhi, first time since 2012. Railways were asked to bat first after Delhi skipper Ayush Badoni won the toss. Kohli was stationed in slips during early overs - a position where he fields generally for India in Tests as well. Kohli is one of the high-profile players, including Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Ravindra Jadeja, to feature in Ranji Trophy matches for their respective teams. The participation comes in the wake of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) making it mandatory for the player to play domestic cricket after the recent series losses against New Zealand and Australia in Tests. Kohli made his debut for Delhi in 2006 against Tamil Nadu before playing his last match in 2012. In six years, the former Indian skipper went on to play 23 matches - scoring 1,574 runs at an average of 50.70. Overall, Kohli has played 155 first-class matches (including his 123 Tests) and has scored 11,479 runs (including 9,230 Test runs) at an average of 55.96 with 37 hundreds (30 in Tests) and 39 fifties (31 in Tests).

Delhi vs Railways Ranji Trophy: WATCH | Amid chants of 'Kohli, Kohli' India batter greets fans in comeback match

Virat Kohli's stardom gripped the fans as they stood in long lines to get entry into Arun Jaitley Stadium to watch their favourite local boy play in Delhi vs Railways <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ranji-trophy" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Ranji Trophy</a> match on Thursday (Jan 30).
The videos doing rounds on social media showed a long queue outside the entry gate of the stadium for fans which was declared free by the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA). Watch one such video below:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
The 2KM long queue outside Arun Jaitley Stadium for Virat Kohli 👑 - Virat Kohli, The Biggest Crowd Puller 🐐 <a href="https://t.co/GJVKfsLK76">pic.twitter.com/GJVKfsLK76</a>
&mdash; Virat Kohli Fan Club (@Trend_VKohli) <a href="https://twitter.com/Trend_VKohli/status/1884801210794078336?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 30, 2025</a></blockquote>

<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<h2>All eyes on Kohli Delhi vs Railways</h2>
India star <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/virat-kohli">Virat Kohli</a> made his return to domestic cricket after 13 years when he took the field against Railways for Delhi for the first time since 2012. Railways were asked to bat first after Delhi skipper Ayud Badoni won the toss. Kohli was stationed in slips during early overs - a position where he fields generally for India in Tests as well.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/virat-kohli-delhi-vs-railways-ranji-trophy-live-cricket-match-score-card-today-jan-28-live-blog-8669798" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Delhi vs Railways Ranji Trophy Match Score and Updates</a>
Kohli is one of the high-profile players, including Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Ravindra Jadeja, to feature in Ranji Trophy matches for their respective teams.
The participation comes in the wake of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/bcci" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Board of Control for Cricket in India</a>&nbsp;(BCCI) making it mandatory for players to play domestic cricket after the recent series losses against New Zealand and Australia in Tests.
Kohli made his debut for Delhi in 2006 against Tamil Nadu before playing his last match in 2012. In six years, the former Indian skipper went on to play 23 matches - scoring 1,574 runs at an average of 50.70.
Overall, Kohli has played 155 first-class matches (including his 123 Tests) and has scored 11,479 runs (including 9,230 Test runs) at an average of 55.96 with 37 hundreds (30 in Tests) and 39 fifties (31 in Tests).

Delhi vs Railways Ranji Trophy Match: Huge crowds assembled outside Arun Jaitley stadium in Virat Kohli's comeback domestic cricket match for Delhi against Railways. Sports

Virat Kohli's stardom gripped the fans as they stood in long lines to get entry into Arun Jaitley Stadium to watch their favourite local boy play in Delhi vs Railways Ranji Trophy match on Thursday (Jan 30). The videos doing rounds on social media showed a long queue outside the entry gate of the stadium for fans which was declared free by the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA). Watch one such video below: The 2KM long queue outside Arun Jaitley Stadium for Virat Kohli 👑 - Virat Kohli, The Biggest Crowd Puller 🐐 pic.twitter.com/GJVKfsLK76 — Virat Kohli Fan Club (@Trend_VKohli) January 30, 2025 All eyes on Kohli Delhi vs Railways India star Virat Kohli made his return to domestic cricket after 13 years when he took the field against Railways for Delhi for the first time since 2012. Railways were asked to bat first after Delhi skipper Ayud Badoni won the toss. Kohli was stationed in slips during early overs - a position where he fields generally for India in Tests as well. Also Read: Delhi vs Railways Ranji Trophy Match Score and Updates Kohli is one of the high-profile players, including Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Ravindra Jadeja, to feature in Ranji Trophy matches for their respective teams. The participation comes in the wake of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) making it mandatory for players to play domestic cricket after the recent series losses against New Zealand and Australia in Tests. Kohli made his debut for Delhi in 2006 against Tamil Nadu before playing his last match in 2012. In six years, the former Indian skipper went on to play 23 matches - scoring 1,574 runs at an average of 50.70. Overall, Kohli has played 155 first-class matches (including his 123 Tests) and has scored 11,479 runs (including 9,230 Test runs) at an average of 55.96 with 37 hundreds (30 in Tests) and 39 fifties (31 in Tests).

Delhi vs Railways Ranji Trophy: WATCH | Huge crowd outside stadium in Virat Kohli's comeback match

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Indian spinner <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/kuldeep-yadav">Kuldeep Yadav</a> has been named in the Uttar Pradesh (UP) squad for their final <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ranji-trophy">Ranji Trophy</a> league match against Madhya Pradesh (MP) at the Holkar Cricket Stadium in Indore.&nbsp;
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The match, set to begin on Thursday (Jan 30), marks Kuldeep&rsquo;s return to domestic cricket after a lengthy injury layoff following hernia surgery.&nbsp;
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Kuldeep has been out of action since October 2024, with his last competitive appearance coming in the first Test against New Zealand in Bengaluru. His absence from the game has been a significant period of recovery and rehabilitation, with the left-arm wrist spinner working extensively with the National Cricket Academy (NCA) staff to regain match fitness.&nbsp;
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Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ranji-trophy-virat-kohli-ddca-announces-free-entry-for-fans-in-delhi-vs-railways-match-with-aadhar-card-8668906">Ranji Trophy: Want to watch Virat Kohli play? Keep your Aadhar card ready</a> 
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While both UP and MP are out of contention for the Ranji Trophy knockout stages, the fixture holds immense personal significance for Kuldeep.&nbsp;
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With the highly anticipated three-match ODI series against England starting on February 6, this match will provide him with much-needed game time to test his fitness and match rhythm.&nbsp;
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Kuldeep has already been named in India&rsquo;s squad for the England ODIs, as well as in the provisional 15-member squad for the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/champions-trophy">Champions Trophy</a>, which follows soon after. His performance in the domestic match will be closely watched as selectors and team management assess his readiness for the upcoming international fixtures.&nbsp;
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Kuldeep is not the only India international returning to domestic cricket in the final round of the Ranji Trophy league phase. Several other notable names, including Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, and Riyan Parag, are also set to participate for their respective state teams. Their involvement highlights the importance of domestic cricket as a preparatory ground for international assignments.&nbsp;
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Having been a crucial component of India&rsquo;s spin attack in white-ball cricket, Kuldeep&rsquo;s return is a significant boost for the national team ahead of a busy international schedule.&nbsp;
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<h2 class="Paragraph SCXW112384178 BCX0" lang="EN-US" paraid="1491198070" paraeid="{0dabed57-6926-44d1-9c32-b71fb507e694}{199}">Uttar Pradesh squad:&nbsp;</h2>
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Aryan Juyal (captain, wicketkeeper), Karan Sharma, Abhishek Goswami, Madhav Kaushik, Priyam Garg, Rituraj Sharma, Aaditya Sharma (wicketkeeper), Shivam Mavi, Saurabh Kumar, Shivam Sharma, Kritagya Kumar Singh, Vijay Kumar, Atal Bihari Rai, Vaibhav Chaudhary, Zeeshan Ansari, Kartikeya Jaiswal, Kartik Tyagi, Kuldeep Yadav.&nbsp;
(With inputs from agencies)
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Cricket Sports: The match, set to begin on Thursday (Jan 30), marks Kuldeep’s return to competitive cricket after a lengthy injury layoff following hernia surgery

Indian spinner Kuldeep Yadav has been named in the Uttar Pradesh (UP) squad for their final Ranji Trophy league match against Madhya Pradesh (MP) at the Holkar Cricket Stadium in Indore. The match, set to begin on Thursday (Jan 30), marks Kuldeep’s return to domestic cricket after a lengthy injury layoff following hernia surgery. Kuldeep has been out of action since October 2024, with his last competitive appearance coming in the first Test against New Zealand in Bengaluru. His absence from the game has been a significant period of recovery and rehabilitation, with the left-arm wrist spinner working extensively with the National Cricket Academy (NCA) staff to regain match fitness. Also Read: Ranji Trophy: Want to watch Virat Kohli play? Keep your Aadhar card ready While both UP and MP are out of contention for the Ranji Trophy knockout stages, the fixture holds immense personal significance for Kuldeep. With the highly anticipated three-match ODI series against England starting on February 6, this match will provide him with much-needed game time to test his fitness and match rhythm. Kuldeep has already been named in India’s squad for the England ODIs, as well as in the provisional 15-member squad for the Champions Trophy, which follows soon after. His performance in the domestic match will be closely watched as selectors and team management assess his readiness for the upcoming international fixtures. Kuldeep is not the only India international returning to domestic cricket in the final round of the Ranji Trophy league phase. Several other notable names, including Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, and Riyan Parag, are also set to participate for their respective state teams. Their involvement highlights the importance of domestic cricket as a preparatory ground for international assignments. Having been a crucial component of India’s spin attack in white-ball cricket, Kuldeep’s return is a significant boost for the national team ahead of a busy international schedule. Uttar Pradesh squad: Aryan Juyal (captain, wicketkeeper), Karan Sharma, Abhishek Goswami, Madhav Kaushik, Priyam Garg, Rituraj Sharma, Aaditya Sharma (wicketkeeper), Shivam Mavi, Saurabh Kumar, Shivam Sharma, Kritagya Kumar Singh, Vijay Kumar, Atal Bihari Rai, Vaibhav Chaudhary, Zeeshan Ansari, Kartikeya Jaiswal, Kartik Tyagi, Kuldeep Yadav. (With inputs from agencies)

Ranji Trophy 2025: Kuldeep Yadav makes comeback in UP squad vs Madhya Pradesh

Virat Kohli is all set to make his return to domestic cricket when he takes the field with Delhi against Railways on Thursday (Jan 30). This will be Kohli's first <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ranji-trophy" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Ranji Trophy</a> match for Delhi since 2012 when he played against Uttar Pradesh. Ahead of the match, his teammates are joyed by India star's presence who has more than 80 tons to his name in international cricket - second only to Sachin Tendulkar's 100.
Delhi skipper Ayush Badoni, the 25-year-old uncapped batter, also revealed Kohli's batting position and the India batter's advice to the team.
Also Read: <a class="gh-archive-page-post-title-link" href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/virat-kohli-ranji-trophy-return-live-practice-video-delhi-ranji-team-8663405" aria-label="HIGHLIGHTS | Virat Kohli Ranji Trophy Return: Delhi all set for Kohli in Railways match">HIGHLIGHTS | Virat Kohli Ranji Trophy Return</a>
"He will bat at No. 4. He encouraged us to stay positive and express ourselves confidently," Badoni said on the eve of match against Railways as reported by news agency PTI.
Badoni had also led Rishabh Pant in Delhi's last match against Saurashtra from January 23-25.
Also Read: <a class="gh-archive-page-post-title-link" href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ranji-trophy-virat-kohli-ddca-announces-free-entry-for-fans-in-delhi-vs-railways-match-with-aadhar-card-8668906" aria-label="Ranji Trophy: Want to watch Virat Kohli play? Keep your Aadhar card ready">Ranji Trophy: Want to watch Virat Kohli play? Keep your Aadhar card ready</a>
"I have played against Virat bhaiyya in the IPL. It is an honour that in back to back matches I have now led Rishabh and Virat bhaiyya," acknowledged the young Delhi skipper.
<h2>DDCA set to Kohli's Ranji Trophy comeback</h2>
Meanwhile, the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) is expecting a crowd around 10,000 on day 1 of their match against Railways, which starts Thursday (Jan 30). With great build-up around <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/virat-kohli" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Virat Kohli</a>'s first Ranji Trophy in nearly a decade, DDCA has announced free entry for the fans.
The DDCA is also planning to increase the security as well as ask Delhi Police for help to manage the crowd that may visit the Arun Jaitley stadium to watch Virat Kohli play.&nbsp;
Kohli played his last Ranji Trophy match against Uttar Pradesh in 2012. Batting at number 4, he scored 14 runs in the first innings as Delhi were bowled out for 235. In the second innings, Kohli scored 43 runs as Delhi scored 322 runs and set UP a target of 155 runs. UP won the match by six wickets.

Ranji Trophy: Ahead of the match, Kohli's teammates are joyed by India star's presence who has more than 80 tons to his name in international cricket. Sports

Virat Kohli is all set to make his return to domestic cricket when he takes the field with Delhi against Railways on Thursday (Jan 30). This will be Kohli's first Ranji Trophy match for Delhi since 2012 when he played against Uttar Pradesh. Ahead of the match, his teammates are joyed by India star's presence who has more than 80 tons to his name in international cricket - second only to Sachin Tendulkar's 100. Delhi skipper Ayush Badoni, the 25-year-old uncapped batter, also revealed Kohli's batting position and the India batter's advice to the team. Also Read: HIGHLIGHTS | Virat Kohli Ranji Trophy Return "He will bat at No. 4. He encouraged us to stay positive and express ourselves confidently," Badoni said on the eve of match against Railways as reported by news agency PTI. Badoni had also led Rishabh Pant in Delhi's last match against Saurashtra from January 23-25. Also Read: Ranji Trophy: Want to watch Virat Kohli play? Keep your Aadhar card ready "I have played against Virat bhaiyya in the IPL. It is an honour that in back to back matches I have now led Rishabh and Virat bhaiyya," acknowledged the young Delhi skipper. DDCA set to Kohli's Ranji Trophy comeback Meanwhile, the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) is expecting a crowd around 10,000 on day 1 of their match against Railways, which starts Thursday (Jan 30). With great build-up around Virat Kohli's first Ranji Trophy in nearly a decade, DDCA has announced free entry for the fans. The DDCA is also planning to increase the security as well as ask Delhi Police for help to manage the crowd that may visit the Arun Jaitley stadium to watch Virat Kohli play. Kohli played his last Ranji Trophy match against Uttar Pradesh in 2012. Batting at number 4, he scored 14 runs in the first innings as Delhi were bowled out for 235. In the second innings, Kohli scored 43 runs as Delhi scored 322 runs and set UP a target of 155 runs. UP won the match by six wickets.

Ranji Trophy: 'He will bat at...,' Delhi skipper Ayush Badoni reveals Virat Kohli's batting position in Railways match

The anticipation around Virat Kohli playing his first <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ranji-trophy" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Ranji Trophy</a> match in nearly 13 years has reached its peak and the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) is all set for it. The state cricket body is expecting a crowd around 10,000 on day 1 of their match against Railways which starts Thursday (Jan 30).
<h2>DDCA offers free entry for fans</h2>
With great build-up around <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/virat-kohli" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Virat Kohli</a>'s first Ranji Trophy in nearly a decade, DDCA has announced free entry for the fans.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/virat-kohli-ranji-trophy-return-live-practice-video-delhi-ranji-team-8663405" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Virat Kohli Ranji Trophy Return Updates</a>
&ldquo;The Gautam Gambhir Stand will be open for the spectators. The fans can enter from Gate No 16 and 17. Gate No 6 will also be open for the DDCA members and guests. We are expecting a 10,000 crowd for the first day,&rdquo; DDCA secretary Ashok Sharma told news outlet The Indian Express.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ranji-trophy-what-are-you-saying-says-india-star-virat-kohli-when-offered-help-to-carry-kit-8668677" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">'What are you saying...,' says India star Virat Kohli when offered help to carry kit</a>
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s a free entry. The fans just need to bring their original copy of their Aadhaar card and its photocopy as well. The arrangements for the fans have been made. It will be like any international or an IPL match,&rdquo; Sharma added.
The DDCA is planning to increase the security as well as ask Delhi Police for help to manage the crowd that may visit the Arun Jaitley stadium to watch Virat Kohli play.&nbsp;
"The Delhi Police will receive a letter from us. We have enhanced our private security, so we have initiated all these arrangements, and we will attempt to ensure there is no inconvenience for the fans when they come on January 30 to see the match," DDCA secretary Sharma had said, as reported by media outlet Times of India.
Kohli played his last Ranji Trophy match against Uttar Pradesh in 2012. Batting at number 4, he scored 14 runs in the first innings as Delhi were bowled out for 235. In the second innings, Kohli scored 43 runs as Delhi scored 322 runs and set UP a target of 155 runs. UP won the match by six wickets.

Ranji Trophy: The DDCA is planning to increase the security as well as ask Delhi Police for help to manage the crowd during Delhi vs Railways match.  Cricket Sports

The anticipation around Virat Kohli playing his first Ranji Trophy match in nearly 13 years has reached its peak and the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) is all set for it. The state cricket body is expecting a crowd around 10,000 on day 1 of their match against Railways which starts Thursday (Jan 30). DDCA offers free entry for fans With great build-up around Virat Kohli's first Ranji Trophy in nearly a decade, DDCA has announced free entry for the fans. Also Read: Virat Kohli Ranji Trophy Return Updates “The Gautam Gambhir Stand will be open for the spectators. The fans can enter from Gate No 16 and 17. Gate No 6 will also be open for the DDCA members and guests. We are expecting a 10,000 crowd for the first day,” DDCA secretary Ashok Sharma told news outlet The Indian Express. Also Read: 'What are you saying...,' says India star Virat Kohli when offered help to carry kit “It’s a free entry. The fans just need to bring their original copy of their Aadhaar card and its photocopy as well. The arrangements for the fans have been made. It will be like any international or an IPL match,” Sharma added. The DDCA is planning to increase the security as well as ask Delhi Police for help to manage the crowd that may visit the Arun Jaitley stadium to watch Virat Kohli play. "The Delhi Police will receive a letter from us. We have enhanced our private security, so we have initiated all these arrangements, and we will attempt to ensure there is no inconvenience for the fans when they come on January 30 to see the match," DDCA secretary Sharma had said, as reported by media outlet Times of India. Kohli played his last Ranji Trophy match against Uttar Pradesh in 2012. Batting at number 4, he scored 14 runs in the first innings as Delhi were bowled out for 235. In the second innings, Kohli scored 43 runs as Delhi scored 322 runs and set UP a target of 155 runs. UP won the match by six wickets.

Ranji Trophy: Want to watch Virat Kohli play? Keep your Aadhar card ready

India batter <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/virat-kohli" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Virat Kohli'</a>s practice with Delhi <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ranji-trophy" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Ranji Trophy</a> team and his presence around it have made their match against Railway from January 30 a big fest. With all the eyes set on Kohli, every movement is big captured to see how the India star is getting ready and treating his old friends being such a superstar.
Kohli, however, has been the same as he was when starting his career with Delhi, and it was evident in one of the incidents that took place at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Tuesday (Jan 28). Kohli was seen carrying his own kit and was offered help, but the batter denied it with a laugh.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/virat-kohli-ranji-trophy-return-live-practice-video-delhi-ranji-team-8663405" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Virat Kohli Ranji Trophy Return Updates</a>
&ldquo;Virat, let them help you,&rdquo; said Delhi team manager Mahesh Bhati when he saw Kohli carrying his own kit, as reported by media outlet Time of India.
"What are you saying? This is my gear, I&rsquo;ll carry it myself,&rdquo; Kohli replied to the offer with a smile, showing he's still the same guy he was in 2012.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/kohlis-ranji-return-delhi-gears-up-for-a-virat-show-8668335">Kohli&rsquo;s Ranji return: Delhi gears up for a Virat show</a>
<h2>Kohli Back In Ranji Trophy</h2>
Kohli played his last Ranji Trophy match against Uttar Pradesh in 2012. Batting at number 4, he scored 14 runs in the first innings as Delhi were bowled out for 235. In the second innings, Kohli scored 43 runs as Delhi scored 322 runs and set UP a target of 155 runs.
He is one of the high-profile players, including Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Ravindra Jadeja, to feature in Ranji Trophy matches for their respective teams.
The participation comes in the wake of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) making it mandatory for the player to play domestic cricket after the recent series losses against New Zealand and Australia in Tests.
Kohli is considered one of the finest batters ever to play the games with 50 tons in ODI&mdash;a world record&mdash;and more than 80 tons in international cricket&mdash;second only to Sachin Tendulkar's 100.&nbsp;

Ranji Trophy: Virat Kohli's participation comes in the wake of BCCI making it mandatory for the player to play the domestic cricket. Cricket Sports

India batter Virat Kohli's practice with Delhi Ranji Trophy team and his presence around it have made their match against Railway from January 30 a big fest. With all the eyes set on Kohli, every movement is big captured to see how the India star is getting ready and treating his old friends being such a superstar. Kohli, however, has been the same as he was when starting his career with Delhi, and it was evident in one of the incidents that took place at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Tuesday (Jan 28). Kohli was seen carrying his own kit and was offered help, but the batter denied it with a laugh. Also Read: Virat Kohli Ranji Trophy Return Updates “Virat, let them help you,” said Delhi team manager Mahesh Bhati when he saw Kohli carrying his own kit, as reported by media outlet Time of India. "What are you saying? This is my gear, I’ll carry it myself,” Kohli replied to the offer with a smile, showing he's still the same guy he was in 2012. Also Read: Kohli’s Ranji return: Delhi gears up for a Virat show Kohli Back In Ranji Trophy Kohli played his last Ranji Trophy match against Uttar Pradesh in 2012. Batting at number 4, he scored 14 runs in the first innings as Delhi were bowled out for 235. In the second innings, Kohli scored 43 runs as Delhi scored 322 runs and set UP a target of 155 runs. He is one of the high-profile players, including Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Ravindra Jadeja, to feature in Ranji Trophy matches for their respective teams. The participation comes in the wake of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) making it mandatory for the player to play domestic cricket after the recent series losses against New Zealand and Australia in Tests. Kohli is considered one of the finest batters ever to play the games with 50 tons in ODI—a world record—and more than 80 tons in international cricket—second only to Sachin Tendulkar's 100.

Ranji Trophy: 'What are you saying...,' says India star Virat Kohli when offered help to carry kit

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Come January 30, all roads in the national capital Delhi will lead to the Arun Jaitley Cricket Stadium.&nbsp;
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After 13 long years, the wait is finally over &ndash; <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/virat-kohli">Virat Kohli</a> is set to make his much-anticipated return to <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ranji-trophy">Ranji </a>cricket, and there&rsquo;s no better place for it than the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi.
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As winter slowly gives way to the crisp Delhi weather, fans are already buzzing with excitement, eager to witness the cricketing maestro in action once again on home soil. The atmosphere will be electric as passionate supporters are set to throng the stadium, with the cool, clear skies adding to the thrill of the occasion. The attention of fans thronging the stadium will be fixed on the talismanic Virat Kohli&rsquo;s batting performance in the coming four days.&nbsp;
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Delhi, with a very slim mathematical chance to enter the Ranji Trophy knockouts, face Railways in their final Group D clash of the season starting on Thursday (Jan 29).
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Following the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/board-of-control-for-cricket-in-india">B</a><a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/board-of-control-for-cricket-in-india">oard of Control for Cricket in India</a> (BCCI&rsquo;s) recommendation for Indian players to play domestic cricket, when possible, Kohli is set to play a Ranji Trophy game for the first time in 13 years. A neck spasm delayed his Ranji Trophy return in Rajkot, but Kohli is now almost certain for his Ranji Trophy homecoming at a place where he began his journey to become an integral part of the Indian team across all formats.&nbsp;
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/virat-kohli-ranji-trophy-return-live-practice-video-delhi-ranji-team-8663405">Virat Kohli Ranji Trophy Return Live Updates: Batter focuses on backfoot shots</a> 
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At the centre of every move Kohli makes in the match against Railways, his batting will come under supreme focus on a green pitch, as claimed by Delhi captain Ayush Badoni, to try and get an outright win.&nbsp;
</div>
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Dismissals outside off-stump largely defined Kohli&rsquo;s struggles in the 3-1 Test series defeat in Australia, his unbeaten Perth century being a notable exception. Now coming into the Delhi team after working on his game with former India and RCB batting coach Sanjay Bangar in Alibaug, it will be intriguing to see how Kohli shapes with the bat in a game where he&rsquo;s the cynosure of all eyes and cameras.&nbsp;
</div>
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With Rishabh Pant not available and Pranav Rajvanshi likely to come in, Kohli joining the Delhi team is a huge help for their batting line-up, which was completely outplayed on a Rajkot pitch that turned from the start, resulting in a crushing ten-wicket defeat for them.&nbsp;
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The exciting possibility of bowling to Kohli in a Ranji Trophy match presents a chance for fast-bowlers Himanshu Sangwan (who previously played for Delhi), Kunal Yadav, Purnank Tyagi, and Rahul Sharma to rise to prominence by outsmarting the batting stalwart.&nbsp;
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<h2 class="Paragraph SCXW133045538 BCX0" lang="EN-US" paraid="2091505330" paraeid="{698dae58-fab8-4131-9886-6c92efeb2430}{255}">Squads:</h2>
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Delhi: Ayush Badoni (captain), Virat Kohli, Sanat Sangwan, Arpit Rana, Yash Dhull, Jonty Sidhu, Himmat Singh, Navdeep Saini, Money Grewal, Harsh Tyagi, Siddhant Sharma, Shivam Sharma, Pranav Rajvanshi (wk), Vaibhav Kandpal, Mayank Gusain, Gagan Vats, Sumit Mathur, Rahul Gahlot, Jitesh Singh, Vansh Bedi.&nbsp;
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Railways: Pratham Singh (captain), Vivek Singh, S A Ahuja, Upendra Yadav (wk), Mohammad Saif, B H Merai, Anchit Yadav, Karn Sharma, Purnank Tyagi, Kunal Yadav, Himanshu Sangwan, K T Marathe, Ravi Singh, Ayan B Chaudhari, and Rahul Sharma.&nbsp;
(With inputs from agencies)
</div>

Cricket Sports: After 13 long years, the wait is finally over – Virat Kohli is set to make his much-anticipated return to Ranji cricket. Delhi will lock horns against Railways

Come January 30, all roads in the national capital Delhi will lead to the Arun Jaitley Cricket Stadium. After 13 long years, the wait is finally over – Virat Kohli is set to make his much-anticipated return to Ranji cricket, and there’s no better place for it than the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi. As winter slowly gives way to the crisp Delhi weather, fans are already buzzing with excitement, eager to witness the cricketing maestro in action once again on home soil. The atmosphere will be electric as passionate supporters are set to throng the stadium, with the cool, clear skies adding to the thrill of the occasion. The attention of fans thronging the stadium will be fixed on the talismanic Virat Kohli’s batting performance in the coming four days. Delhi, with a very slim mathematical chance to enter the Ranji Trophy knockouts, face Railways in their final Group D clash of the season starting on Thursday (Jan 29). Following the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI’s) recommendation for Indian players to play domestic cricket, when possible, Kohli is set to play a Ranji Trophy game for the first time in 13 years. A neck spasm delayed his Ranji Trophy return in Rajkot, but Kohli is now almost certain for his Ranji Trophy homecoming at a place where he began his journey to become an integral part of the Indian team across all formats. Also Read: Virat Kohli Ranji Trophy Return Live Updates: Batter focuses on backfoot shots At the centre of every move Kohli makes in the match against Railways, his batting will come under supreme focus on a green pitch, as claimed by Delhi captain Ayush Badoni, to try and get an outright win. Dismissals outside off-stump largely defined Kohli’s struggles in the 3-1 Test series defeat in Australia, his unbeaten Perth century being a notable exception. Now coming into the Delhi team after working on his game with former India and RCB batting coach Sanjay Bangar in Alibaug, it will be intriguing to see how Kohli shapes with the bat in a game where he’s the cynosure of all eyes and cameras. With Rishabh Pant not available and Pranav Rajvanshi likely to come in, Kohli joining the Delhi team is a huge help for their batting line-up, which was completely outplayed on a Rajkot pitch that turned from the start, resulting in a crushing ten-wicket defeat for them. The exciting possibility of bowling to Kohli in a Ranji Trophy match presents a chance for fast-bowlers Himanshu Sangwan (who previously played for Delhi), Kunal Yadav, Purnank Tyagi, and Rahul Sharma to rise to prominence by outsmarting the batting stalwart. Squads: Delhi: Ayush Badoni (captain), Virat Kohli, Sanat Sangwan, Arpit Rana, Yash Dhull, Jonty Sidhu, Himmat Singh, Navdeep Saini, Money Grewal, Harsh Tyagi, Siddhant Sharma, Shivam Sharma, Pranav Rajvanshi (wk), Vaibhav Kandpal, Mayank Gusain, Gagan Vats, Sumit Mathur, Rahul Gahlot, Jitesh Singh, Vansh Bedi. Railways: Pratham Singh (captain), Vivek Singh, S A Ahuja, Upendra Yadav (wk), Mohammad Saif, B H Merai, Anchit Yadav, Karn Sharma, Purnank Tyagi, Kunal Yadav, Himanshu Sangwan, K T Marathe, Ravi Singh, Ayan B Chaudhari, and Rahul Sharma. (With inputs from agencies)

Kohli’s Ranji return: Delhi gears up for a Virat show

India batter <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/virat-kohli">Virat Kohli</a>'s presence in the Delhi <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ranji-trophy">Ranji Trophy</a> squad has created enough buzz among the team and fans as well. The India batter, who is struggling for from, will feature in Delhi's match against Railway from January 30, a first in since 2012. The star batter did some batting practice on Tuesday (Jan 28) and was seen working on his backfoot shot in the nets in a new video.
Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/virat-kohli-ranji-trophy-return-live-practice-video-delhi-ranji-team-8663405">Virat Kohli Ranji Trophy Return Updates</a>
Kohli, who batted for about 55 minutes on Tuesday, could be seen guiding the ball towards the third-man area with an open face of the bat during the net session. Have a look at the video below:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Virat Kohli working on his back foot game! 🔥 <a href="https://t.co/5A7vjOsc59">pic.twitter.com/5A7vjOsc59</a>
&mdash; Virat Kohli Fan Club (@Trend_VKohli) <a href="https://twitter.com/Trend_VKohli/status/1884123400798626196?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 28, 2025</a></blockquote>

<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Kohli played his last Ranji Trophy match against Uttar Pradesh in 2012. Batting at number 4, he scored 14 runs in the first innings as Delhi were bowled out for 235. In the second innings, Kohli scored 43 runs as Delhi scored 322 runs and set UP a target of 155 runs.
Also Watch: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ranji-trophy-virat-kohli-practice-video-with-delhi-team-ahead-of-railways-match-from-jan-30-8660376" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Virat Kohli starts practice with Delhi team ahead of Railways match</a>
He is one of the high-profile players, including Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Ravindra Jadeja, to feature in Ranji Trophy matches for their respective teams.
The participation comes in the wake of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) making it mandatory for the player to play domestic cricket after a recent series loss against New Zealand and Australia in Tests.
<h2>Virat Kohli's stats</h2>
Kohli made his debut for Delhi in 2006 against Tamil Nadu before playing his last match in 2012. In six years, the former Indian skipper went on to play 23 matches, scoring 1,574 runs at an average of 50.70.
Overall, Kohli has played 155 first-class matches (including his 123 Tests) and has scored 11,479 runs (including 9,230 Test runs) at an average of 55.96 with 37 hundreds (30 in Tests) and 39 fifties (31 in Tests).
Kohli is considered one of the finest batters ever to play the game with 50 tons in ODIs&mdash;a world record&mdash;and more than 80 tons in international cricket&mdash;second only to Sachin Tendulkar's 100.

Ranji Trophy: Kohli is one of high profile players including Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Ravindra Jadeja to feature in Ranji Trophy. Cricket Sports

India batter Virat Kohli's presence in the Delhi Ranji Trophy squad has created enough buzz among the team and fans as well. The India batter, who is struggling for from, will feature in Delhi's match against Railway from January 30, a first in since 2012. The star batter did some batting practice on Tuesday (Jan 28) and was seen working on his backfoot shot in the nets in a new video. Also Read: Virat Kohli Ranji Trophy Return Updates Kohli, who batted for about 55 minutes on Tuesday, could be seen guiding the ball towards the third-man area with an open face of the bat during the net session. Have a look at the video below: Virat Kohli working on his back foot game! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/5A7vjOsc59 — Virat Kohli Fan Club (@Trend_VKohli) January 28, 2025 Kohli played his last Ranji Trophy match against Uttar Pradesh in 2012. Batting at number 4, he scored 14 runs in the first innings as Delhi were bowled out for 235. In the second innings, Kohli scored 43 runs as Delhi scored 322 runs and set UP a target of 155 runs. Also Watch: Virat Kohli starts practice with Delhi team ahead of Railways match He is one of the high-profile players, including Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Ravindra Jadeja, to feature in Ranji Trophy matches for their respective teams. The participation comes in the wake of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) making it mandatory for the player to play domestic cricket after a recent series loss against New Zealand and Australia in Tests. Virat Kohli's stats Kohli made his debut for Delhi in 2006 against Tamil Nadu before playing his last match in 2012. In six years, the former Indian skipper went on to play 23 matches, scoring 1,574 runs at an average of 50.70. Overall, Kohli has played 155 first-class matches (including his 123 Tests) and has scored 11,479 runs (including 9,230 Test runs) at an average of 55.96 with 37 hundreds (30 in Tests) and 39 fifties (31 in Tests). Kohli is considered one of the finest batters ever to play the game with 50 tons in ODIs—a world record—and more than 80 tons in international cricket—second only to Sachin Tendulkar's 100.

Virat Kohli in Ranji Trophy: WATCH | India batter practices backfoot shots towards third-man ahead of Railways match

India batter <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/virat-kohli" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Virat Kohli</a>'s presence around the Delhi <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ranji-trophy" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Ranji Trophy </a>team has created a lot of buzz. Kohli will return to domestic cricket when he takes on the field for Delhi against Railways on January 30. It will be the first time in nearly 13 years that Kohli will play in a domestic match.
<h2>Kohli presence around Delhi team creates buzz&nbsp;</h2>
During the practice session with Delhi team on January 28, Kohli met with old friends and one of the kids of those friends asked the India batter: "what one needs to do to become an Indian cricketer?"
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/virat-kohli-ranji-trophy-return-live-practice-video-delhi-ranji-team-8663405" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Virat Kohli Ranji Trophy Return Updates</a>
Kohli's reply to the young kid was something the India batter has done himself over the years.&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
such a heartwarming and inspiring little conversation 🫶🥹 <a href="https://t.co/YZQD2JuU1h">pic.twitter.com/YZQD2JuU1h</a>
&mdash; 𝒑. 💌 (@ssnoozefest) <a href="https://twitter.com/ssnoozefest/status/1884296205850866056?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 28, 2025</a></blockquote>

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"We need to do a lot of hard work, and your dad shouldn't be asking you to go for practice and training. You yourself should wake up early and say 'I have to go for practice'. And if someone practices for one hour, you practice for two hours. That's the only way, right? If someone makes a fifty, you score a hundred. If someone makes a hundred, you score two hundred -- double of the benchmark. Then you will go a level up. If you need to be told to practice, then that's not right," advised the India batter.
<h2>Virat Kohli's stats</h2>
Kohli made his debut for Delhi in 2006 against Tamil Nadu before playing his last match in 2012. In six years, the former Indian skipper went on to play 23 matches - scoring 1,574 runs at an average of 50.70.
Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virat-kohli-ranji-trophy-return-when-where-to-watch-delhi-vs-railways-match-live-8663407" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">When &amp; where to watch Delhi vs Railways match live?</a>
Overall, Kohli has played 155 first-class matches (including his 123 Tests) and has scored 11,479 runs (including 9,230 Test runs) at an average of 55.96 with 37 hundreds (30 in Tests) and 39 fifties (31 in Tests).
Kohli is considered one of the finest batters ever to play the game with 50 tons in ODI - a world record and more then 80 tons in international cricket - second only to Sachin Tendulkar's 100.

Ranji Trophy: Kohli is considered one of the finest batters with 50 tons in ODI - a world record and more then 80 tons in international cricket - second only to Sachin Tendulkar's 100. Cricket Sports

India batter Virat Kohli's presence around the Delhi Ranji Trophy team has created a lot of buzz. Kohli will return to domestic cricket when he takes on the field for Delhi against Railways on January 30. It will be the first time in nearly 13 years that Kohli will play in a domestic match. Kohli presence around Delhi team creates buzz During the practice session with Delhi team on January 28, Kohli met with old friends and one of the kids of those friends asked the India batter: "what one needs to do to become an Indian cricketer?" Also Read: Virat Kohli Ranji Trophy Return Updates Kohli's reply to the young kid was something the India batter has done himself over the years. such a heartwarming and inspiring little conversation 🫶🥹 pic.twitter.com/YZQD2JuU1h — 𝒑. 💌 (@ssnoozefest) January 28, 2025 "We need to do a lot of hard work, and your dad shouldn't be asking you to go for practice and training. You yourself should wake up early and say 'I have to go for practice'. And if someone practices for one hour, you practice for two hours. That's the only way, right? If someone makes a fifty, you score a hundred. If someone makes a hundred, you score two hundred -- double of the benchmark. Then you will go a level up. If you need to be told to practice, then that's not right," advised the India batter. Virat Kohli's stats Kohli made his debut for Delhi in 2006 against Tamil Nadu before playing his last match in 2012. In six years, the former Indian skipper went on to play 23 matches - scoring 1,574 runs at an average of 50.70. Also Read: When & where to watch Delhi vs Railways match live? Overall, Kohli has played 155 first-class matches (including his 123 Tests) and has scored 11,479 runs (including 9,230 Test runs) at an average of 55.96 with 37 hundreds (30 in Tests) and 39 fifties (31 in Tests). Kohli is considered one of the finest batters ever to play the game with 50 tons in ODI - a world record and more then 80 tons in international cricket - second only to Sachin Tendulkar's 100.

Ranji Trophy: 'Double of the benchmark,' Virat Kohli's advice to young kid to become India cricketer | WATCH

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India batter&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/virat-kohli">Virat Kohli</a>&nbsp;linked up with the Delhi team on Tuesday (Jan 28) ahead of his&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ranji-trophy">Ranji Trophy</a>&nbsp;match against Railways to be played from January 30 to February 2. Kohli will be playing his first domestic cricket match in Ranji Trophy for the first time since 2012.&nbsp;
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Former India off-spinner and head coach of Delhi Ranji team, Sarandeep Singh, said that Kohli was the source of motivation for his young teammates during training session.&nbsp;
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The former India captain joined his Delhi teammates for football drills, shared laughs, and participated in 100-metre sprints before heading to the batting nets.&nbsp;
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/virat-kohli-ranji-trophy-return-india-batter-declines-to-lead-delhi-team-in-railways-match-8660850">Ranji Trophy: Virat Kohli declines to lead Delhi team in Railways match</a> 
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For around 15 minutes, he faced throwdowns delivered from the middle of the pitch. He dedicated five minutes to front-foot strokes and, in the remaining time, focused on handling back-of-length deliveries off the back foot.&nbsp;
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The session featured a mix of defensive and aggressive shots. Although he was beaten a couple of times outside off, he also connected well, middling several pulls and short-arm jabs along the ground.&nbsp;
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&ldquo;Young players were feeling motivated while training with their idol Virat Kohli. It is good for domestic cricket. We had just cricket chat with Kohli and plans for the match were discussed. It was indeed a good day,&rdquo; Delhi coach Sarandeep Singh was quoted as saying to IANS.&nbsp;
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There has been a lot of pressure on the Indian Test players to play domestic matches after the abject batting failure in Australia, as the Indian team barely crossed 150 runs in its first innings of most of the Test matches.&nbsp;
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Delhi, currently placed sixth in the Elite Group D table with 14 points from six games, are out of the knockout stage after losing to Saurashtra in their last match by 10 wickets.&nbsp;
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The final round of Ranji Trophy group games will end four days before India's first ODI against England in Nagpur on February 6.&nbsp;
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Kohli is part of the ODI squad for the three-match bilateral series in the lead-up to the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/champions-trophy">Champions Trophy</a> from February 19.&nbsp;
(With inputs from agencies)
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Cricket Sports: The former India captain joined his Delhi teammates for football drills, shared laughs, and participated in 100-metre sprints before heading to the batting nets

India batter Virat Kohli linked up with the Delhi team on Tuesday (Jan 28) ahead of his Ranji Trophy match against Railways to be played from January 30 to February 2. Kohli will be playing his first domestic cricket match in Ranji Trophy for the first time since 2012. Former India off-spinner and head coach of Delhi Ranji team, Sarandeep Singh, said that Kohli was the source of motivation for his young teammates during training session. The former India captain joined his Delhi teammates for football drills, shared laughs, and participated in 100-metre sprints before heading to the batting nets. Also Read: Ranji Trophy: Virat Kohli declines to lead Delhi team in Railways match For around 15 minutes, he faced throwdowns delivered from the middle of the pitch. He dedicated five minutes to front-foot strokes and, in the remaining time, focused on handling back-of-length deliveries off the back foot. The session featured a mix of defensive and aggressive shots. Although he was beaten a couple of times outside off, he also connected well, middling several pulls and short-arm jabs along the ground. “Young players were feeling motivated while training with their idol Virat Kohli. It is good for domestic cricket. We had just cricket chat with Kohli and plans for the match were discussed. It was indeed a good day,” Delhi coach Sarandeep Singh was quoted as saying to IANS. There has been a lot of pressure on the Indian Test players to play domestic matches after the abject batting failure in Australia, as the Indian team barely crossed 150 runs in its first innings of most of the Test matches. Delhi, currently placed sixth in the Elite Group D table with 14 points from six games, are out of the knockout stage after losing to Saurashtra in their last match by 10 wickets. The final round of Ranji Trophy group games will end four days before India's first ODI against England in Nagpur on February 6. Kohli is part of the ODI squad for the three-match bilateral series in the lead-up to the Champions Trophy from February 19. (With inputs from agencies)

Ranji Trophy 2025: ‘Young players felt motivated after training with Kohli,’ says Delhi coach

Delhi batter Ayush Badoni will be leading <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/virat-kohli" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Virat Kohli</a> in Delhi's <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ranji-trophy" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Ranji Trophy</a> match against Railways from January 30 to February 2. Badoni, who made his first-class debut only last year, shot to fame after his exploits in the cash-rich T20 tournament Indian Premier League (IPL).
Badoni, who was identified by current India coach Gautam Gambhir, was given a chance for Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) where Gambhir was the director of cricket. The 25-year-old credits the Indian coach for his success.
He was also retained by the LSG ahead of the IPL mega auction in December 2024 for INR 4 crore ($500,000).
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/virat-kohli-ranji-trophy-return-live-updates-kohli-last-ranji-match-score-rohit-sharma-kl-rahul-ranji-trophy-8660230" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Virat Kohli Ranji Trophy Return Updates</a>
<h2>Who is Ayush Badoni?</h2>
Badoni first came to the limelight when he scored fifty in IPL 2022 for LSG. His stroke play thrilled the crowd and former players alike. Badoni had represented India at the U-19 level as well but was lost backstage for three years despite scoring 185 in the youth Test against Sri Lanka and 28-ball 52 in the Asia Cup Final (2018).
Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/virat-kohli-ranji-trophy-return-india-batter-declines-to-lead-delhi-team-in-railways-match-8660850" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Virat Kohli declines to lead Delhi team in Railways match</a>
Badoni played with the likes of Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Devdutt Padikkal but could not reach the same heights in international cricket and remains uncapped.
After his IPL exploits in 2022, he made his FC debut in 2023 and has played 13 games so far, scoring 964 runs at an average of 53 with three hundreds and two fifties. His highest in FC cricket is 205 not out and he currently leads the Delhi Ranji Trophy team.
In List A cricket, Badoni has played 18 games with 540 runs to his name at an average of 38 with one hundred and three fifties.
Ayush Badoni in IPL
In IPL, Badoni has played 42 matches for LSG and has scored 634 runs at a strike rate of 134 and an average of 24. He has also hit four fifties with a best of 59 not out.

Ayush Badoni, who was identified by current India coach Gautam Gambhir, was given a chance for Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) where Gambhir was the director of cricket. 

Delhi batter Ayush Badoni will be leading Virat Kohli in Delhi's Ranji Trophy match against Railways from January 30 to February 2. Badoni, who made his first-class debut only last year, shot to fame after his exploits in the cash-rich T20 tournament Indian Premier League (IPL). Badoni, who was identified by current India coach Gautam Gambhir, was given a chance for Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) where Gambhir was the director of cricket. The 25-year-old credits the Indian coach for his success. He was also retained by the LSG ahead of the IPL mega auction in December 2024 for INR 4 crore ($500,000). Also Read: Virat Kohli Ranji Trophy Return Updates Who is Ayush Badoni? Badoni first came to the limelight when he scored fifty in IPL 2022 for LSG. His stroke play thrilled the crowd and former players alike. Badoni had represented India at the U-19 level as well but was lost backstage for three years despite scoring 185 in the youth Test against Sri Lanka and 28-ball 52 in the Asia Cup Final (2018). Also Read: Virat Kohli declines to lead Delhi team in Railways match Badoni played with the likes of Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Devdutt Padikkal but could not reach the same heights in international cricket and remains uncapped. After his IPL exploits in 2022, he made his FC debut in 2023 and has played 13 games so far, scoring 964 runs at an average of 53 with three hundreds and two fifties. His highest in FC cricket is 205 not out and he currently leads the Delhi Ranji Trophy team. In List A cricket, Badoni has played 18 games with 540 runs to his name at an average of 38 with one hundred and three fifties. Ayush Badoni in IPL In IPL, Badoni has played 42 matches for LSG and has scored 634 runs at a strike rate of 134 and an average of 24. He has also hit four fifties with a best of 59 not out.

Ayush Badoni - Meet uncapped India batter and IPL star who will lead Virat Kohli in Delhi's Ranji Trophy match against Railways

India batter <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/virat-kohli" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Virat Kohli</a> has declined to captain the Delhi Ranji Trophy team in their next match against Railways from January 30 to February 2. Kohli, who will return to domestic cricket for the first time in 12 years, will play under 25-year-old uncapped India batter Ayush Badoni.
Kohli is one of the big players who is returning to domestic cricket after BCCI's new policy which demanded the players to be part of it.
<h2>Kohli declines to lead Delhi Ranji Trophy team</h2>
The former India skipper, playing his first match in nearly 13 years, has declined to lead the Delhi team, reported media outlet Times of India. Kohli is not only one of the most successful skippers of India but world cricket as well.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/virat-kohli-ranji-trophy-return-live-updates-kohli-last-ranji-match-score-rohit-sharma-kl-rahul-ranji-trophy-8660230" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Virat Kohli Ranji Trophy Live Updates</a>
The Delhi team instead will be led by Ayush Badoni who had also led Delhi in the last match against Saurashtra from January 23-25.&nbsp;
Earlier, Kohli <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ranji-trophy-virat-kohli-practice-video-with-delhi-team-ahead-of-railways-match-from-jan-30-8660376" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">joined the Delhi team</a> at Arun Jaitley stadium on Tuesday (Jan 28) and took part in practice session as well. He batted about 45 minutes in the nets.
The Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) is also <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/virat-kohli-in-ranji-trophy-ddca-increasing-security-to-manage-crowd-during-railways-match-8660676" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">planning to increase security</a> of the stadium in anticipation of the crowd which may come to watch the star India batter play.
<h2>Virat Kohli's Ranji Trophy stats</h2>
Kohli made his debut for Delhi in 2006 against Tamil Nadu before playing his last match in 2012. In six years, the former Indian skipper went on to play 23 matches - scoring 1,574 runs at an average of 50.70.
Overall, Kohli has played 155 first-class matches (including his 123 Tests) and has scored 11,479 runs (including 9,230 Test runs) at an average of 55.96 with 37 hundreds (30 in Tests) and 39 fifties (31 in Tests).
The India international players are showing in Ranji Trophy matches after BCCI's new policy which made it mandatory for them to participate in domestic cricket.

Ranji Trophy: Virat Kohli, who will return to domestic cricket for the first time in 12 years, will play under 25-year-old uncapped India batter Ayush Badoni. Sports Cricket

India batter Virat Kohli has declined to captain the Delhi Ranji Trophy team in their next match against Railways from January 30 to February 2. Kohli, who will return to domestic cricket for the first time in 12 years, will play under 25-year-old uncapped India batter Ayush Badoni. Kohli is one of the big players who is returning to domestic cricket after BCCI's new policy which demanded the players to be part of it. Kohli declines to lead Delhi Ranji Trophy team The former India skipper, playing his first match in nearly 13 years, has declined to lead the Delhi team, reported media outlet Times of India. Kohli is not only one of the most successful skippers of India but world cricket as well. Also Read: Virat Kohli Ranji Trophy Live Updates The Delhi team instead will be led by Ayush Badoni who had also led Delhi in the last match against Saurashtra from January 23-25. Earlier, Kohli joined the Delhi team at Arun Jaitley stadium on Tuesday (Jan 28) and took part in practice session as well. He batted about 45 minutes in the nets. The Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) is also planning to increase security of the stadium in anticipation of the crowd which may come to watch the star India batter play. Virat Kohli's Ranji Trophy stats Kohli made his debut for Delhi in 2006 against Tamil Nadu before playing his last match in 2012. In six years, the former Indian skipper went on to play 23 matches - scoring 1,574 runs at an average of 50.70. Overall, Kohli has played 155 first-class matches (including his 123 Tests) and has scored 11,479 runs (including 9,230 Test runs) at an average of 55.96 with 37 hundreds (30 in Tests) and 39 fifties (31 in Tests). The India international players are showing in Ranji Trophy matches after BCCI's new policy which made it mandatory for them to participate in domestic cricket.

Ranji Trophy: Virat Kohli declines to lead Delhi team in Railways match

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