Here are all details of Virat Kohli’s Ranji Trophy return game for Delhi

November 2012 was the last time Virat Kohli featured for Delhi in the Ranji Trophy. 13 years later, he will play his next game in India’s premier domestic tournament. The ace Indian batter, perhaps the best of the past decade, will play Delhi’s last league game this season. Find out all the details of Virat Kohli’s Ranji Trophy return match.

The India international has amassed 81 centuries across formats – 50 of those have come in the One-Dayers, 30 in Tests and the remaining one in the shortest format – the T20Is. Even though he has nothing to prove to anyone, having won all ICC trophies, barring the newly-inducted World Test Championship (WTC), Kohli finds himself in a tighter spot form-wise, willing to work his way out ahead of the first showpiece event of the year – the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 scheduled next month in Pakistan.

Also read | Champions Trophy 2025: Ashwin plays Kohli out of position in his India’s predicted playing XI

However, following India’s horrid run in the past two Test match series, having lost both (to New Zealand at home (0-3) and against Australia Down Under (1-3), the BCCI issued a fresh ten-point policy mandate, making it compulsory for everyone to feature for their respective states in the Ranji Trophy. 

Like his fellow India internationals, including captain Rohit Sharma, keeper-batter Rishabh Pant and youngsters Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill, Kohli was also named in the probable squad (for Delhi); however, he pulled out of their first match against Saurashtra due to a neck sprain.

So when Kohli plays next?

The big question is when will Kohli play for Delhi in the Ranji Trophy. 

Virat Kohli will feature for Delhi in their final Ranji Trophy league game against Railways at home (Arun Jaitley Stadium) starting January 30. His last Ranji Trophy match came against Uttar Pradesh (in 2013), where he returned with scores of 14 and 43 across two innings.

Meanwhile, Kohli trained with the Delhi Ranji Trophy squad earlier but sat out of the game against Saurashtra.

With the world’s best batter back to playing the Ranji Trophy, expect a sea of fans to visit the Delhi stadium for their next domestic match.

Ready for Champions Trophy

Virat endured a poor run with the bat in the last two Test series, scoring 91 and 190, respectively. Though his struggle against the spin worried most cricket fans, his inability to avoid chasing the fourth stump line that saw him getting out similarly on six occasions against Australia broke the camel’s back. 

With the England ODIs and the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 looming, Kohli trying to find some luck with the bat in the Ranji Trophy game would benefit him. 

(With inputs from agencies)