India's batting maestro Virat Kohli is expected to make his much-anticipated return to Ranji Trophy fold after a gap of 12 years. Meanwhile, Virat Kohli was seen practicing in Mumbai ahead of his Ranji Trophy return. Notably, the session was conducted under the guidance of former India batting coach Sanjay Bangar, who coached the team between 2014 and 2018. A video of Kohli practicing with Bangar quickly went viral on social media on January 25.
Kohli was spotted focusing on his off-stump line, a weakness that plagued him during the recent Border-Gavaskar Trophy. In that series, Kohli edged the ball back to the slips or keeper on eight out of nine innings. Following a century in the opening Test at Perth, Kohli endured a string of low scores, contributing significantly to India's underwhelming performance in Australia.
The senior Indian batter, Virat Kohli, is expected to make a highly anticipated return to the Ranji Trophy after a 12-year absence. Reports suggest that Kohli will play Delhi's final match of the domestic tournament against Railways. It was learnt that Kohli has informed DDCA about his availability for the clash against Railways on January 30. While most of India's top players participated in the sixth round of the Ranji Trophy, the penultimate match of the group stage, Kohli requested leave, citing a neck issue.
Kohli's last Ranji Trophy appearance dates back to 2012, when he scored 4 and 43 runs in two innings against Uttar Pradesh.
Kohli was also seen interacting with aspiring cricketers and signing autographs on their bats. Videos of these interactions circulated on social media alongside footage of Kohli's practice sessions.
Kohli's decision to practice under Sanjay Bangar has instilled renewed hope among his fans. Bangar served as India's batting coach from 2014 to 2018, a period marked by Virat Kohli's dominance in international cricket. Under Bangar's guidance, Kohli achieved extraordinary success across all formats of the game. During this period, Kohli not only achieved multiple double centuries in Test cricket but also emerged as the standout batter in the 2016 T20 World Cup.
How did Virat Kohli fare in his last Ranji Trophy appearance?
Notably, Kohli's last Ranji Trophy appearance dates back to 2012, when he faced Uttar Pradesh in Ghaziabad. This match boasted a star-studded lineup, featuring Gautam Gambhir, Virender Sehwag, Ishant Sharma, and Ashish Nehra for Delhi, while Uttar Pradesh countered with Mohammad Kaif, Suresh Raina, and Bhuvneshwar Kumar.
Delhi's first innings yielded a modest 235 runs, with Virat contributing 14 runs before being dismissed by Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Ashish Nehra claimed three wickets for Delhi, but Uttar Pradesh responded with a formidable 403 runs. Delhi showed a marked improvement in their second innings, with Virender Sehwag dominating the middle order. However, it was not enough to prevent a loss. Uttar Pradesh reached 158/4 in 39.2 overs, securing a six-wicket victory. Virat contributed 43 runs in this innings.