Ahead of final Ranji Trophy league match, Virat Kohli trains with Delhi team
Virat Kohli has officially joined the Delhi team for practice at the ArunJaitley Stadium, marking his return to the Ranji Trophy for the first time in 12 years. He is set to play against Railways on January 30 after missing the first match of the second leg against Saurashtra due to a neck sprain.
During practice, Kohli was seen warming up with his teammates and had previously trained with former India batting coach Sanjay Bangar, focusing on refining his back foot shots. This return to domestic red-ball cricket aims to address his struggles with outside off-stump deliveries, which led to his dismissal on all eight occasions during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Kohli’s recent form in Test cricket has been concerning, with his average dipping below 50 for the first time in his career over the past four years. His last appearance in the Ranji Trophy was in 2012 against Uttar Pradesh in Ghaziabad.
In related news, Rishabh Pant has opted out of the upcoming match against Railways after a disappointing performance against Saurashtra, where he scored just 1 and 17 in two innings upon his return to the tournament after seven years.