After all the wait, fans finally got to witness their batting superstar Virat Kohli in his Ranji Trophy return after 12 years in the clash between Delhi and Railways. The match against Railways not only marked his return to India's premier first-class competition but also a homecoming to his roots, the Delhi team. Delhi played a crucial role in shaping Kohli's career, laying the foundation for his rise to become one of the greatest batsmen of all time.
When Virat Kohli's father refused to give bribe for son's Delhi selection
However, Virat Kohli's journey to cricketing stardom was not without its challenges. He faced his share of struggles, including the difficulty of breaking into the Delhi team. The former Indian captain once detailed an incident where he was dropped from the state U-14 team at the eleventh hour due to what he termed 'compensation' issues. Kohli further revealed that his father, a man of principle, refused to pay any bribe to secure his son's place in the team. This early experience likely instilled in Kohli a strong sense of determination and a commitment to earning his place through merit.
“I was selected for the U-14 Delhi team and then I was dropped at 1:00 AM because of some complications…, you know how and what happens at the state levels, someone was preferred over me because of some compensations that were done. The same was offered to my father as well. That if you can (pay for selection), maybe he (Kohli) can get into the team after two games. My father straightaway said ‘I’m not gonna pay a single penny to make him play. If he can play on his talent, so be it. If not, it’s not meant for him’," Kohli had earlier said in an interaction with Dinesh Karthik for SKY Sports.
Despite the immense personal loss after the untimely death of his father in 2006, Kohli didn't give up. He displayed remarkable resilience and dedication, choosing to play a Ranji Trophy match for Delhi just hours later which proved his commitment towards the sport. The act of unwavering commitment stands as one of the most inspiring stories in Indian cricket history. Kohli went on to score a crucial 90 runs before rushing home to be with his family for the last rites. Virat Kohli's career has been nothing short of legendary. He is considered among the greatest batsmen to ever play the game, holding the fourth-highest number of runs in international cricket. His prolific run-scoring includes an impressive 81 centuries across all formats, placing him second only to Sachin Tendulkar in the pantheon of batsmen with the most international hundreds.
Talking about Kohli's Ranji Trophy return which saw more than 12,000 fans turning up to witness their batting superstar's batting. Delhi folded Railways for 241 despite Upendra Yadav's resolute 95. In reply Delhi were firm at 41/1 when the stumps were drawn.