Virat Kohli Felicitated at Arun Jaitley Stadium on Ranji Trophy Return

Indian cricket legend Virat Kohli was felicitated by the Delhi & District Cricket Association (DDCA) at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Friday for his immense contribution to Delhi and Indian cricket. The ceremony took place at the end of the second day’s play during Delhi’s Ranji Trophy clash against Railways. DDCA president Rohan Jaitley presented Kohli with a shawl and a memento to honor his achievements.

This marks Kohli’s first appearance in a Ranji Trophy match since 2012. His return aligns with the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) recent directive making domestic cricket mandatory for centrally contracted players. In adherence to the new guidelines, Kohli joined Delhi’s squad for their final group-stage fixture against Railways, which commenced on January 30.

Following the second day’s play, DDCA officials gathered for the felicitation ceremony, where Kohli paid homage to his childhood coach, Rajkumar Sharma, by touching his feet before stepping forward to receive the honor.

However, Kohli’s much-anticipated return to the premier domestic tournament was brief, as he was dismissed for just six runs in the first innings. Railways’ fast bowler Himanshu Sangwan delivered a sharp delivery that sneaked past Kohli’s bat and pad, disturbing the stumps. The young pacer celebrated the prized wicket with enthusiasm, having earlier been hit for a boundary by the former Indian skipper.

At the close of the second day’s play, Delhi was in a commanding position at 334/7, leading by 93 runs after bowling Railways out for 241. Sumit Mathur (78*) and Siddhant Sharma (15*) remained unbeaten, while skipper Ayush Badoni narrowly missed his century, falling for 99. Sangwan, the standout performer for Railways, was instrumental with the ball.

Himanshu Sangwan, a Delhi-born pacer representing Railways, has played 23 first-class matches since making his senior debut in 2019. The former Delhi U-19 cricketer has taken 77 wickets in 40 innings, including three five-wicket hauls. Interestingly, Sangwan was formerly employed as a ticket collector at New Delhi station and made an instant impact in his debut season by dismissing Indian stalwarts Ajinkya Rahane and Prithvi Shaw.

As the match progresses, all eyes will be on Kohli and his potential impact in the second innings, as Delhi aims to secure a dominant victory over Railways in this crucial Ranji Trophy fixture.