Virat Kohli, along with other Indian batters, endured a torrid time during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. Their batting failures were further highlighted in the preceding Test series against New Zealand, where Indian batters struggled significantly against spin. These shortcomings have led former cricketers and critics to blame the players’ neglect of domestic cricket, specifically their absence in the Ranji Trophy, for their decline in the longest format.
The second round of the Ranji Trophy 2024-25 is set to begin in the last week of January, and Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant, both hailing from Delhi, have been named in the probable list. This was confirmed by Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) secretary Ashok Sharma. Interestingly, Kohli’s last appearance in the Ranji Trophy for Delhi dates back to 2012.
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“Both Virat and Rishabh’s names are in the probable list. The Ranji Trophy camp is already underway. Virat should draw inspiration from Mumbai cricketers and participate in domestic cricket for Delhi whenever possible. In Mumbai, there’s a strong culture where India players join Ranji matches whenever they are available. This is something that is lacking in the North, especially in Delhi,” said Sharma.
🚨 VIRAT KOHLI & RISHABH PANT IN RANJI TROPHY 🚨
– DDCA Secretary confirms that Both Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant’s names are in the Delhi probable list. The Ranji Trophy camp is underway. (The Indian Express). pic.twitter.com/sUfFvs4cKR
— Tanuj Singh (@ImTanujSingh) January 14, 2025
He further added, “The BCCI has emphasized the importance of players participating in domestic cricket. I believe Virat and Rishabh should play at least one game, but realistically, I doubt they will.”
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Currently, Kohli is vacationing with his family in Alibaug, and there has been no official confirmation from him regarding his participation in Delhi’s upcoming Ranji matches. DDCA president Rohan Jaitley stated that the selectors and the Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) might have already reached out to Kohli about his potential inclusion.
“As for whether there has been communication, the selectors and the CAC are responsible for coordinating such matters. They would be better equipped to provide clarity on this,” said Jaitley.
