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

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/virat-kohli" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Virat Kohli</a>&nbsp;made his return to domestic cricket when he took the field with Delhi against Railways on Thursday (Jan 30). This was Kohli's first&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ranji-trophy" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Ranji Trophy</a>&nbsp;match for Delhi since 2012 when he played against Uttar Pradesh. Ahead of the match, his teammates were 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:&nbsp;<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">India star Virat Kohli when denies help to carry kit</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.
"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.
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&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/bcci" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Board of Control for Cricket in India</a>&nbsp;(BCCI) making it mandatory for the player to play domestic cricket after the recent series losses against New Zealand and Australia in Tests.
<h2>Follow Delhi vs Railways Day 2 Ranji Trophy Live Updates Below:</h2>

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Kohli's return to Ranji Trophy lasts only 15 balls his off stump goes cart-wheeling and the crowd has started leaving the ground. The crowd still chanted his name and gave him an applause, reports WION's Jatin from the ground.&nbsp;
Virat Kohli b Sangwan 6&nbsp;
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Delhi vs Railways Day 2, Ranji Trophy Live: Kohli out for 6

Delhi vs Railways Day 2, Ranji Trophy Live: At the end of Day 2, Delhi finished at 334/7. Captain Ayush Badoni was Delhi's highest scorer with 99 runs from 77 balls. He was well supported by Sumit Mathur, who remained unbeaten on 78 runs from 189 balls.
At the end of the day's play, Virat Kohli was felicitated by the Delhi &amp; District Cricket Association for playing 100 Tests matches for India.
This live blog is now ended.

Delhi vs Railways Day 2, Ranji Trophy Live: Delhi 334/7 at end of Day 2

Delhi vs Railways Day 2, Ranji Trophy Live: WICKET!
Kunal Yadav dismisses Shivam Sharma for 14 runs.
Score:
Delhi:&nbsp;313/7 (89.4 overs)

Delhi vs Railways Day 2, Ranji Trophy Live: WICKET!

Delhi vs Railways Day 2, Ranji Trophy Live: Delhi crosses the 300-run mark against Railways. Sumit Mathur remains not out on 68 runs off 151 balls.

Delhi vs Railways Day 2, Ranji Trophy Live: Delhi cross 300

Delhi vs Railways Day 2, Ranji Trophy Live: Pranav Rajvanshi is dismissed by Ayan for well-made 42 runs.
Score:
Delhi: 293/6 (80.4 overs)

Delhi vs Railways Day 2, Ranji Trophy Live: As Delhi takes lead over Railways, Sumit Mathur hit 50 and put Delhi in a commanding position. Delhi leads Railways by 43 runs
Score: 283/5 (78.5 overs)

Delhi vs Railways Day 2, Ranji Trophy Live: Sumit Mathur hits 50

Delhi vs Railways Day 2, Ranji Trophy Live: Delhi takes lead over Railways. Ayush Badoni remains Delh's highest scorer in the innings with 99 runs.
Score:&nbsp;244/5 (61.4 overs)

Delhi vs Railways Day 2, Ranji Trophy Live: Delhi takes lead over Railways

Delhi vs Railways Day 2, Ranji Trophy Live: Delhi captain Ayush Badoni is OUT on 99. Spinner Karn Sharma strikes for Railways
Score: 230/5 (55.2 overs)
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Delhi vs Railways Day 2, Ranji Trophy Live: Delhi captain Ayush Badoni gone for 99!

Delhi vs Railways Day 2, Ranji Trophy Live: Ayush Badoni and Sumit Mathur take Delhi past 200-mark. They now trail Railways by 33 runs.
Score:
Delhi: 207/4 (50.4 overs)&nbsp;

Delhi vs Railways Day 2, Ranji Trophy Live: Delhi cross 200 

Delhi vs Railways Day 2, Ranji Trophy Live:&nbsp;Delhi captain Ayush Badoni smashed 50 in 34 balls. His innings included seven boundaries and one six.

Delhi vs Railways Day 2, Ranji Trophy Live: Ayush Badoni smashes 50

Delhi have done well to stay on course despite Virat Kohli's failure with the bat. Skipper Badoni has hit fifty and is being ably supported by Sumit Mathur as the duo add unbeaten 50 runs for the fifth wicket. Delhi still trail by 73 runs.
Delhi:&nbsp;168/4 (Badoni 52, Mathur 28) in 42 overs vs Railways: 241 all out in first innings

Delhi vs Railways Day 2, Ranji Trophy Live: Lunch

Delhi skipper Ayush Badoni and Sumit Mathue have brought some calmness after two quicky wickets including Kohli. The duo have added 50+ runs so far.
Delhi:&nbsp;163/4 (Badoni 49, Mathur 26) in 40 overs vs Railways: 241 all out in first innings

Delhi vs Railways Day 2, Ranji Trophy Live: Badoni, Mathur start rebuild

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The crowd waited two days for Kohli to bat and he did in the first session but the return to Ranji Trophy lasted only for 15 balls as Sangwan sent his off-stump cartwheeling. Kohli managed only six runs and was one of the three wickets to fall in the first session on day 2 for Delhi.&nbsp;
The home team, however, has scored at decent pace and trail by only 111 runs in the first innings with skipper Badoni on the crease.
Delhi:&nbsp;130/4 (Badoni 25, Mathur 17) in 35 overs vs Railways: 241 all out in first innings
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Delhi vs Railways Day 2, Ranji Trophy Live: Delhi trail by 111 runs

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Railways's Sangwan on fire as he take two wickets in two overs including Kohli who lasted 15 balls on his Ranji Trophy retunr after 13 years. Delhi struggling here as they cross 100-run mark.
Delhi: 103/4 (Badoni 10, Mathur 6) in 30 overs vs Railways: 241 all out in first innings
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Delhi vs Railways Day 2, Ranji Trophy Live: Delhi four down

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A controversial decision by umpire bring Kohli to crease as Delhi now again look to consolidate their innings after loss of Yash Dhull who made 32.
Delhi: 79/2 (Kohli 0, Sanat 29) in 25 overs vs Railways: 241 all out in first innings
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Delhi vs Railways Day 2, Ranji Trophy Live: Kohli at crease

As Virat Kohli made his way to the crease, the crowd in the stadium gave the India star a standing ovation, reports WION's Jatin Verma who is at the ground.
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Crowd goes crazy at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ViratKohli?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ViratKohli</a> comes out bat for Delhi against Railways in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RanjiTrophy?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RanjiTrophy</a> <a href="https://t.co/2hxRkZmKeB">pic.twitter.com/2hxRkZmKeB</a>
&mdash; Prashant (@journoinmaking) <a href="https://twitter.com/journoinmaking/status/1885194103287406856?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 31, 2025</a></blockquote>

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Delhi vs Railways Day 2, Ranji Trophy Live: Standing ovation for Kohli

A horrible decision by the on-field umpire and sends back Yash Dhull which bring Virat Kohli to crease much to pleasure of crowd.
Yash Dhull lbw b RA Sharma 32

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Delhi players have looked solid and compact so far on day 2 morning as the crowd eagerly waits for Virat Kohli to come out and bat. Delhi now trail by less than 180 runs in the first innings.
Delhi: 65/1 (Dhull 29, Sanat 20) in 20 overs vs Railways: 241 all out in first innings
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Delhi vs Railways Day 2, Ranji Trophy Live: Delhi chip away

The DDCA has decided to felicitate Kohli for playing 100 Tests for India - only second player from Delhi to do so after Virender Sehwag and Ishant Sharma.

Delhi vs Railways Day 2, Ranji Trophy Live: DDCA to felicitate Kohli

BCCI selector Ajay Rata is present at the Arun Jaitley stadium today to watch the Delhi vs Railways, informs WION's Jatin Verma from the ground.

Delhi vs Railways Day 2, Ranji Trophy Live

Delhi have managed to 50-run mark in the first innings as they now trail by less than 200 runs. Dhull and Sanat still on crease as the crowd waits for Kohli to come who is ready in the dug out.
Delhi: 55/1 (Dhull 25, Sanat 14) in 15 overs vs Railways: 241 all out in first innings

Delhi vs Railways Day 2, Ranji Trophy Live: Delhi cross 50

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Delhi end day 1 200 runs behind Railways first innings total. The fans who have come to see Virat Kohli bat will might get the chance today as the India star is slated to bat at number four.
Delhi:&nbsp;41/1 (Dull 17, Sanat 10) in 10 overs&nbsp;
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Delhi vs Railways Day 2, Ranji Trophy Live: Delhi resume their innings

Delhi vs Railways Day 2, Ranji Trophy Live : Delhi resume their innings from 41/1 after bowling out Railways for 241 in their first innings. Cricket Sports

Virat Kohli made his return to domestic cricket when he took the field with Delhi against Railways on Thursday (Jan 30). This was Kohli's first Ranji Trophy match for Delhi since 2012 when he played against Uttar Pradesh. Ahead of the match, his teammates were 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: India star Virat Kohli when denies help to carry kit "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. "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. 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. Follow Delhi vs Railways Day 2 Ranji Trophy Live Updates Below:

Highlights | Delhi vs Railways Day 2, Ranji Trophy: Delhi 334/7 at end of Day 2

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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;
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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

Virat Kohli’s 7 Unknown Facts in Ranji Trophy

1. One of the Fastest Centuries in Ranji Trophy

2. Youngest Captain for Delhi in Ranji Trophy

3. Scored a Century on Ranji Trophy Debut

4. Played a Match Despite His Father’s Death

5. Shared the Dressing Room with Gautam Gambhir & Shikhar Dhawan

6. Has a Higher Ranji Trophy Batting Average than His Test Average

7. Led Delhi to a Memorable Victory Against Mumbai

Sports, Cricket Web Stories: Virat Kohli’s 7 Unknown Facts in Ranji Trophy as he gears up for Champions Trophy 2025 for India in the coming days. 

Virat Kohli’s Performance in Last 7 Ranji Trophy Innings

1. 145 Runs vs Uttar Pradesh

2. 173 Runs vs Bengal

3. 56 Runs vs Karnataka

4. 139 vs Tamil Nadu

5. 53 Runs vs Mumbai

6. 147 Runs vs Haryana

7. 14 Runs vs Uttar Pradesh 

Sports, Cricket Web Stories: Virat Kohli’s Performance in Last 7 Ranji Trophy Innings as he will plays against Railways for Delhi before Champions Trophy 2025.

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

Delhi vs Railways Ranji Trophy Match:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/virat-kohli" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Virat Kohli</a> made his return to domestic cricket when he took the field with Delhi against Railways on Thursday (Jan 30). This was 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 were 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 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">India star Virat Kohli when denies help to carry kit</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.
"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.
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 <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/bcci">Board of Control for Cricket in India</a> (BCCI) making it mandatory for the player to play domestic cricket after the recent series losses against New Zealand and Australia in Tests.
<h2>Follow Virat Kohli Delhi vs Railways Ranji Trophy Match Updates</h2>

Delhi end day 1 200 runs behind Railways first innings total. The fans who came to see Virat Kohli bat will have to another day as Delhi skipper Ayush Badoni chose to bowl after winning the toss.
Brief Scores: Delhi 41/1 trail by 200 runs vs Railways (241 all-out) in first innings
We'll be back tomorrow for day 2 od Delhi vs Railways Ranji Trophy updates.
This live blog has ended.

Delhi vs Railways Ranji Trophy Live: End of Day 1

Delhi bowls out Railways for 241 as Sumit Mathur takes two wickets in one over. Sangwan played some big shots after Upendra's wicket but failed to take his team past 250.
Railways: 241 (Upendra 95, Saini3/62 &amp; Mathur 3/20) in 1st innings

Delhi vs Railways Ranji Trophy Live: Railways all-out for 241

Delhi finally manage to take out Upendra Yadav who scored a brilliant 95 before what appeared to be a lack on concentration as he tried to reach the 100 with a big shot. Delhi just two more wickets to complete the innings.
Railways: 229/8 in 66 overs (Sangwan 18, Rahul 0)

Delhi vs Railways Ranji Trophy Live: Upendra falls for 95

Railways wicketkeeper Upendra Yadav has done extremly well here to take his team past 200 which was once reeling at 66/5. Upendra himself is in 80s and would be itching to make it big.
Railways: 202/7 in 61 overs (Upendra 84, Sangwan 6)

Delhi vs Railways Ranji Trophy Live: Railways past 200

Navdeep Saini takes two wickets in two balls after Upendra and Karn complete their 100-run partnership and Karn reached his fifty. Railways now seven down.
Railways: 172/7 (Upendra 59, Sangwan 2) in 53 overs

Delhi vs Railways Ranji Trophy Live: Navdeep Saini strikes for Delhi

Railways wicketkeeper Upendra Yadav scored a fifty and had added 90 runs with Karn Sharma as they recover from being 66/5 and cross the 150-run mark.
Railways: 156/5 (Upendra 56, Karn 40) in 49 overs&nbsp;

Delhi vs Railways Ranji Trophy Live: Upendra fifty helps Railways recover

Mumbai all-rounder&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/shardul-thakur" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Shardul Thakur</a>&nbsp;rocked Meghalaya in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ranji-trophy" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Ranji Trophy</a>&nbsp;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.
<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">WATCH HERE</a>

Ranji Trophy Live: Shardul Thakur takes hattrick for Mumbai

DDCA president Rohan Jaitely, while talking to WION's Jatin Verma at the stadium, called Virat Kohli's decision to play for Delhi a great moment.
"It is great for domestic cricket (Kohli turning up)," Jaitely said as around 15,000+ fans packed the Arun Jaitely stadium. "I also got request for passes which shows how big this game is," Jaitley added.

Delhi vs Railways Ranji Trophy Live: DDCA president hails the moment

The fan, which came from 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" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Virat Kohli</a>&nbsp;who was fielding in slips. He went ahead at touched Kohli's feet before security arrived and took him away.&nbsp;
<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" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Watch as it happened</a>

Delhi vs Railways Ranji Trophy Live: Security breach by Kohli fan

The three quick wickets rocked Railwasy early but a partnership between Said and Upendra seems to be developing as they try and rebuild their innings.

Delhi vs Railways Ranji Trophy Live: Railways try to build up after early wickets

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.
<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" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Watch Here</a>

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

Virat Kohli's stardom gripped the fans they stood in long lines to get entry in Arun Jaitley Stadium to watch their favorite local boy play in Delhi vs Railways&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ranji-trophy" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Ranji Trophy</a>&nbsp;match on Thursday (Jan 30).
The videos doing rounds on social media showed long queue outside entry gate of stadium for fans which was declared free by the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA).
<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">WATCH HERE</a>

Delhi vs Railways Ranji Trophy Live: Huge crowd outside stadium to watch Kohli play

Here's the playing XI for both, Delhi and Railways in Virat Kohli's comeback Ranji Trophy match
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Here's a look at the Playing XIs of Delhi and Railways 👌👌<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/sf1zRMFVFb">pic.twitter.com/sf1zRMFVFb</a>
&mdash; BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) <a href="https://twitter.com/BCCIdomestic/status/1884816631676948514?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 30, 2025</a></blockquote>

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

Delhi vs Railways Ranji Trophy Live: Playing XI

After being asked to bat first, Railways were rocked early as they have already lost three quick wickets - three to be precise in less than seven overs for just 21 runs.

Delhi vs Railways Ranji Trophy Live: Railways rocked early on

Delhi skipper Ayush Badoni won the toss and elected to field first against Railways in Virat Kohli's first domestic match since 2012.

Delhi vs Railways Ranji Trophy Live: Railways bat first in Kohli's comeback match

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?"&nbsp;
Kohli's reply to the young kid was something the India batter has done himself over the years.&nbsp;
WATCH <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ranji-trophy-virat-kohli-delhi-team-chat-with-kid-video-gives-advice-to-work-hard-than-others-to-become-india-cricketer-8663989" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">KOHLI'S REPLY</a>

Delhi vs Railways Ranji Trophy Live: Virat Kohli's advice to young kid to become India cricketer

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After 13 long years, the wait is finally over &ndash;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/virat-kohli" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Virat Kohli</a>&nbsp;is set to make his much-anticipated return to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ranji-trophy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ranji&nbsp;</a>cricket, and&nbsp;there&rsquo;s&nbsp;no better place for it than the&nbsp;Arun Jaitley&nbsp;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&nbsp;witness&nbsp;the cricketing maestro in action once again on home soil. The atmosphere will be electric as passionate supporters&nbsp;are set to throng&nbsp;the stadium, with the cool, clear skies adding to the thrill of the occasion.&nbsp;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;
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/kohlis-ranji-return-delhi-gears-up-for-a-virat-show-8668335" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Read More</a>
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Delhi vs Railways Ranji Trophy Live: Delhi gears up for a Virat show

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&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ranji-trophy" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Ranji Trophy</a>&nbsp;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.
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ranji-trophy-he-will-bat-at-4-delhi-skipper-ayush-badoni-reveals-virat-kohlis-batting-position-in-railways-match-8669081" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Read Here</a>

Delhi vs Railways Ranji Trophy Live: Kohli to bat at THIS position

Delhi vs Railways Ranji Trophy Match: Virat Kohli is set to make comeback to domestic cricket after 13 years since he last played against UP in 2012. Sports Cricket

Delhi vs Railways Ranji Trophy Match: Virat Kohli made his return to domestic cricket when he took the field with Delhi against Railways on Thursday (Jan 30). This was Kohli's first Ranji Trophy match for Delhi since 2012 when he played against Uttar Pradesh. Ahead of the match, his teammates were 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: India star Virat Kohli when denies help to carry kit "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. "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. 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. Follow Virat Kohli Delhi vs Railways Ranji Trophy Match Updates

HIGHLIGHTS | Delhi vs Railways Ranji Trophy: Delhi 200 runs behind by end of day 1

Virat Kohli, playing in the Ranji Trophy after more than a decade, requested chilli paneer for lunch on Day 1 of Delhi&rsquo;s match against the Railways at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi. Kohli, who adopted a vegan diet in 2018, had previously favoured chilli chicken before giving up non-vegetarian food to maintain fitness.
According to Sports Today, Kohli declined chhole poori and instead opted for kadhai chawal with his teammates and support staff, according to a Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) official. Sanjay Jha, a long-time chef at the stadium&rsquo;s canteen, shared his experience of Kohli&rsquo;s food preferences over the years.
&ldquo;I have been running this canteen for 25 years and have known Virat since his childhood. He used to eat here regularly and started his career from this ground, but he has remained humble. Even today, he interacts with us and the waiters like any other person,&rdquo; Jha told Sports Today.
Jha recalled how Kohli used to enjoy chilli chicken and even recommended it to his teammates. &ldquo;Now he prefers chole bhature or kadhi chawal. Once I asked if we should order food from outside, but he said he wanted to eat from our canteen itself,&rdquo; he added.
Kohli had previously shared his diet details in 2021 during an "Ask Me Anything" session on Instagram, mentioning his intake of vegetables, eggs, coffee, quinoa, and spinach, along with a controlled portion of dosas.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ranji-trophy-2025-virat-kohli-presence-at-stadium-leads-to-heightened-security-as-fans-chant-his-name-8674530">Ranji Trophy 2025: Virat Kohli&rsquo;s presence at stadium leads to heightened security as fans chant his name</a>
On Thursday, January 30, Kohli marked his return to the Ranji Trophy, having last played in the tournament in 2012 against Uttar Pradesh in Ghaziabad. He arrived at the stadium on Tuesday, participating in fielding and running drills before taking the field for the match.

Kohli declined chhole poori and instead opted for kadhai chawal with his teammates and support staff, according to a Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) official.

Virat Kohli, playing in the Ranji Trophy after more than a decade, requested chilli paneer for lunch on Day 1 of Delhi’s match against the Railways at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi. Kohli, who adopted a vegan diet in 2018, had previously favoured chilli chicken before giving up non-vegetarian food to maintain fitness. According to Sports Today, Kohli declined chhole poori and instead opted for kadhai chawal with his teammates and support staff, according to a Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) official. Sanjay Jha, a long-time chef at the stadium’s canteen, shared his experience of Kohli’s food preferences over the years. “I have been running this canteen for 25 years and have known Virat since his childhood. He used to eat here regularly and started his career from this ground, but he has remained humble. Even today, he interacts with us and the waiters like any other person,” Jha told Sports Today. Jha recalled how Kohli used to enjoy chilli chicken and even recommended it to his teammates. “Now he prefers chole bhature or kadhi chawal. Once I asked if we should order food from outside, but he said he wanted to eat from our canteen itself,” he added. Kohli had previously shared his diet details in 2021 during an "Ask Me Anything" session on Instagram, mentioning his intake of vegetables, eggs, coffee, quinoa, and spinach, along with a controlled portion of dosas. Also read: Ranji Trophy 2025: Virat Kohli’s presence at stadium leads to heightened security as fans chant his name On Thursday, January 30, Kohli marked his return to the Ranji Trophy, having last played in the tournament in 2012 against Uttar Pradesh in Ghaziabad. He arrived at the stadium on Tuesday, participating in fielding and running drills before taking the field for the match.

'No chhole poori, no chicken': Virat Kohli requests khadai chawal and chilli paneer during day 1 of Ranji Trophy match in Delhi

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

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

Virat Kohli’s Performance in Last 7 ICC White-Ball Tournaments

1. 2013 ICC Champions Trophy (England)

2. 2014 ICC T20 World Cup (Bangladesh)

3. 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup (Australia/New Zealand)

4. 2016 ICC T20 World Cup (India)

5. 2017 ICC Champions Trophy (England)

6. 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup (England)

7. 2021 ICC T20 World Cup (UAE)

Sports, Cricket Web Stories: Virat Kohli’s Performance in Last 7 ICC White-Ball Tournaments ft Champions Trophy, T20 World Cup, ODI World Cup.

Virat Kohli’s 7 Fastest Hundreds in ODIs

1. 100 off 52 balls vs. Australia 

2. 100 off 61 balls vs. Australia 

3. 100 off 63 balls vs. Australia

4. 100 off 65 balls vs. New Zealand

5. 100 off 66 balls vs. Australia 

6. 100 off 75 balls vs. Sri Lanka 

7. 100 off 76 balls vs. West Indies 

Sports, Cricket Web Stories: Virat Kohli’s 7 Fastest Hundreds in ODIs ft Australia, England, Pakistan in the Champions Trophy, ODI World Cup.

Virat Kohli’s Last 7 Innings vs Pakistan

1. 26 runs (14 Oct 2023)

2. 122* runs off 94 balls  (10 Sep 2023)	

3. 4 runs (2 Sep 2023)

4. 77 runs off 65 balls (16 June 2019)

5. 5 runs (18 Jun 2017)

6. 81* runs off 68 balls (4 Jun 2017)

7. 107 runs off 126 balls (15 Feb 2015)

Sports, Cricket Web Stories: Virat Kohli’s Last 7 Innings vs Pakistan ft 122 in ODI World Cup, Champions Trophy 2025, T20 World Cup as he hunts for glory. 

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

Virat Kohli Ranji Trophy Return Updates: India star batter&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/virat-kohli" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Virat Kohli</a> joined Delhi's <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ranji-trophy" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Ranji Trophy</a>&nbsp;squad on Tuesday (Jan 28) for their upcoming fixture against Railways from January 30 to February 2. Kohli will play the Ranji Trophy for the first time since 2012 when he had played against Uttar Pradesh.
Virat Kohli, during the practice, <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">did nearly 55-minute of batting</a> while facing a mix of bowlers including pacers and spinners.&nbsp;Kohli had earlier opted out of Delhi's last Ranji Trophy match from January 23 to 25 due to a neck injury.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/champions-trophy-2025-final-tickets-sale-date-tickets-for-india-champions-trophy-match-india-schedule-in-champions-trophy-2025-india-vs-pakistan-feb-23-8659064" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Champions Trophy 2025: ICC says sale of tickets for final to be open only after first semi-final | Know Why</a>
Kohli had said that he is recovering from neck pain for which he took an injection on January 8 - three days after India's tour of Australia had ended while opting out of Delhi's last Ranji Trophy match.
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.
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.
<h2>Follow Virat Kohli Ranji Trophy Return Updates below:</h2>

This is all for today, we'll be back tomorrow with the live coverage of Delhi vs Railways and the first Ranji Trophy match of Virat Kohli since 2012.
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Virat Kohli Ranji Trophy Return

The anticipation around Virat Kohli playing his first&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ranji-trophy" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Ranji Trophy</a>&nbsp;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).
<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" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Read More</a>

Virat Kohli Ranji Trophy Return Live: Want to watch India batter play? Keep your Aadhar card ready

Kohli has been the same as he was when starting his career with Delhi and it was evident in the 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.
<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">Read More</a>

Virat Kohli Ranji Trophy Return Live: India star denied help with kit

Kohli, who batted for about 55 minutes on Tuesday, could be seen guiding the ball towards third-man area with an open face of the bat during the net session. Have a look at the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/virat-kohli-in-ranji-trophy-watch-india-batter-practices-backfoot-shots-in-net-practice-with-delhi-team-8666437" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">video</a>
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.

Virat Kohli Ranji Trophy Return Live: Batter practices backfoot shots

During the practice session with Delhi team on January 28, Kohli met with old friends and one the kids of those friends asked the India batter: "what one needs to do to become an Indian cricketer?"
WATCH <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ranji-trophy-virat-kohli-delhi-team-chat-with-kid-video-gives-advice-to-work-hard-than-others-to-become-india-cricketer-8663989" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">WHAT KOHLI SAID</a>

Virat Kohli Ranji Trophy Return Live: Kohli's advice to young kid to become India cricketer

India batter&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/virat-kohli" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Virat Kohli</a>&nbsp;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.
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/virat-kohli-ranji-trophy-return-live-practice-video-delhi-ranji-team-8663405" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Read More</a>

Virat Kohli Ranji Trophy Return Live: Kohli declines to lead Delhi team

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Former India off-spinner and head coach of Delhi Ranji team,&nbsp;Sarandeep Singh,&nbsp;said that Kohli&nbsp;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&nbsp;participated&nbsp;in 100-metre sprints before heading to the batting nets.&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ranji-trophy-2025-young-players-felt-motivated-after-training-with-kohli-says-delhi-coach-8661983" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Read More</a>
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Virat Kohli Ranji Trophy Return Live: Kohli inspires young players

Ranji Trophy: India batter Virat Kohli has linked up with the Delhi team on Jan 28 and practiced ahead of his return to domestic cricket for the first time since 2012. Sports

Virat Kohli Ranji Trophy Return Updates: India star batter Virat Kohli joined Delhi's Ranji Trophy squad on Tuesday (Jan 28) for their upcoming fixture against Railways from January 30 to February 2. Kohli will play the Ranji Trophy for the first time since 2012 when he had played against Uttar Pradesh. Virat Kohli, during the practice, did nearly 55-minute of batting while facing a mix of bowlers including pacers and spinners. Kohli had earlier opted out of Delhi's last Ranji Trophy match from January 23 to 25 due to a neck injury. Also Read: Champions Trophy 2025: ICC says sale of tickets for final to be open only after first semi-final | Know Why Kohli had said that he is recovering from neck pain for which he took an injection on January 8 - three days after India's tour of Australia had ended while opting out of Delhi's last Ranji Trophy match. 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. 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. Follow Virat Kohli Ranji Trophy Return Updates below:

virat kohli