Virat Kohli is set to make his much-anticipated return to the Ranji Trophy after 12 years. The Delhi head coach, Sarandeep Singh, confirmed Kohli's availability for the final group-stage match against Railways, scheduled from January 30 to February 2.
Kohli was unavailable for Delhi's ongoing match against Saurashtra, which began on January 23, due to recovery from neck pain. He had taken an injection on January 8, shortly after the conclusion of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Sydney.
However, several India stars, including Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja, Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, and Yashasvi Jaiswal, are featuring in this round of Ranji matches.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), in collaboration with the team leadership, recently emphasized the importance of domestic cricket for centrally contracted players. Players are required to participate in domestic games if they are not engaged in international duties, barring special approval from the selection panel head.
It remains unclear if Kohli has officially informed the Indian team management or chief selector Ajit Agarkar about his decision to play in the January 30 match. If the game runs until February 2, Kohli will have just three days before India's ODI series against England, beginning February 6. Kohli is also part of the squad for the Champions Trophy, where India’s campaign starts on February 20.
Updated on 21st January, 2025 by MyFortune11 Team.