On Day 2 of Delhi's match against Railways at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi, India's modern-day great Virat Kohli was removed for just 6 runs, ending his much-awaited return to the Ranji Trophy after just 15 balls. The home crowd's enthusiastic reception soon gave way to despair as Kohli's batting difficulties persisted. As soon as Railways pacer Himanshu Sangwan bowled Kohli, the stadium, which was crowded with fans excited to see their idol in action, saw a mass departure.
The crowded stands erupted in chants of "Kohli, Kohli" as the 36-year-old took his place at number four. However, his stay at the crease was short, lasting only 15 balls. After hitting a spectacular boundary down the ground off Sangwan, Kohli was undone by an in-swinging delivery on the very next ball, which crashed into his stumps. This was Kohli's first time playing domestic cricket in 12 years.
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Fans leave after Virat's dismissal
Following Kohli's dismissal, Delhi was left battling at 86 for 3, 155 runs behind Railways. Concerns have been raised concerning the great batter's consistency in light of his recent Test performances against Australia and New Zealand. Prior to India's important Test series against England, his return to domestic cricket was viewed as a chance to get back into the swing of things, but his early departure just raised more questions.
In the days preceding the game, the excitement surrounding Kohli's Ranji comeback had reached a fever pitch. In anticipation of seeing the Indian legend, fans flocked to the Arun Jaitley Stadium for practice sessions. Thousands of people filled the stands on matchday, many of them carrying posters and banners commemorating Kohli's return home. But when the star batter was unable to make an impact, the ideal situation devolved into disappointment.
In 2012, Kohli faced Uttar Pradesh in his final Ranji Trophy match. His comeback is in line with the BCCI's initiative to encourage Indian players to play domestic cricket in an effort to emphasize the value of playing first-class cricket while choosing the national squad. As part of this initiative, players such as KL Rahul, Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant, Rohit Sharma, and Yashasvi Jaiswal have all taken part in the competition. In Delhi's second innings, Kohli will have an opportunity to make amends for the early setback.