Virat Kohli’s much-anticipated return to domestic cricket saw a massive turnout at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi, where over 15,000 fans gathered to witness him play for his home team in the Ranji Trophy against Railways. This match, part of the Elite Group D fixtures, marked Kohli’s first appearance in the tournament since November 2012, making it a landmark moment in the ongoing season.
However, it was short-lived excitement among the fans as Delhi skipper Ayush Badoni won the toss and chose to field first. Kohli did not bat any sooner, while the crowd wanted to see him in action so badly that it began chanting “Kohli ko bowling do,” playfully urging the captain to hand over the ball to Kohli.
Videos of the enthusiastic fans making this request quickly went viral on social media, adding to the spectacle of Kohli’s return. Although primarily a batter, Kohli has occasionally rolled his arm over in international cricket.
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He has taken three wickets in 155 first-class matches, though none in Test cricket. However, his ODI and T20I records are slightly better, with five and four wickets respectively. His last international wicket was during the 2023 ODI World Cup when he bowled Scott Edwards over at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. This spell has witnessed him coming back with the figures of 1/13 in three overs.
RCB..RCB..Kohli Ko Bowling Do Chants At Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi.🤍#ViratKohli #RCB #RanjiTrophy @imVkohli pic.twitter.com/GMQU4E5MFL
— virat_kohli_18_club (@KohliSensation) January 30, 2025
Fans just relish bowling over moments for the star cricketer. Meanwhile, Delhi’s bowlers made early inroads in the Ranji clash, putting Railways under pressure. Within just three overs, Siddhant Sharma and Navdeep Saini reduced them to 21/3, sending Anchit Yadav (7), Vivek Singh (0), and Suraj Ahuja (14) back to the pavilion.
However, Upendra Yadav and Mohammad Saif steadied the innings with a 45-run partnership for the fourth wicket, resisting Delhi’s early dominance. Just when it looked like Railways were coming out of their shells, Money Grewal threw the cat among the pigeons, sending back Saif and BH Merai off consecutive deliveries.
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Though Delhi pushed hard, Upendra Yadav, with Karn Sharma as his partner, ensured Railways’ fightback continued by adding over 70 runs for the sixth wicket. Now with the match almost evenly poised, all eyes will be on whether Kohli will get a bowl or more importantly, when will he finally step out and bat.
