
New Delhi: The Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi was packed with eager fans on the second day of the Ranji Trophy clash between Delhi and Railways. The reason was clear--Virat Kohli.
Among the fans was Karan Kaushal, a passionate Kohli admirer who even shares a resemblance to the Indian batting maestro.
Expressing his excitement, he said, "I am thrilled to be here today. People have been telling me for the last ten years that I look like him...I've been keeping this beard for only three years...I want him to stick to basics and regain form."
Another fan, also a Kohli lookalike, shared his enthusiasm for the occasion.
"People often confuse me with Virat Kohli, and it's always a fun experience. I also believe that senior players participating in domestic cricket is crucial, it motivates young players and strengthens the overall game," he said.
Fans were eagerly waiting for a Delhi wicket to fall--just so they could watch their hero walk out to bat.
The Delhi stadium was buzzing and filled with excitement on Day 1, a sight not common for domestic cricket matches, with fans awaiting action from their hero whose recent performances have been mostly disappointing. Some additional gates were opened to accommodate fans and additional security deployed. As per ESPNCricinfo, over 15,000 fans attended the match.
The Group D clash also saw a fan breaching security as he rushed onto the field to meet Virat Kohli. With Delhi's opening bowlers, Navdeep Saini and Siddhant Sharma, having Railways in trouble at 21/3, the person managed to evade security and reach Kohli and touched his feet. Security personnel quickly intervened and escorted the intruder off the field. Kohli requested them to go easy on the fan and avoid any harsh treatment.
Flop show
Superstar Indian cricketer Virat Kohli flopped on his first domestic cricket match in more than a decade Friday to the dismay of thousands who turned out to see him play.
International stars were ordered by India's cricket board to return to domestic matches in a bid to lift their form following a soul-searching 3-1 series defeat in Australia.
Kohli strode in to bat for home team Delhi on day two of their match against Railways to roars and chants of his name from the stands.
\After a circumspect start and a few play-and-misses on the off-side, Kohli drove fast bowler Himanshu Sangwan for a rasping straight drive to bring the crowd to its feet.
But the joy was shortlived as the next ball went straight through his defence and the off-stump went cartwheeling with him on six.
Dejected fans began making their way to the exit even as Kohli was walking back to the pavilion, and the stadium numbers soon dwindled from thousands to less than a few hundred.
India skipper Rohit Sharma had also faltered on his return to Ranji cricket last week when he scored just three off 19 balls for Mumbai.
Rohit and fellow opener Yashasvi Jaiswal opted out of this week's match.
Both Kohli and Rohit have faced severe scrutiny over their recent batting struggles in Australia, with questions raised on their future in Test cricket.
Kohli scored an unbeaten century in the first Test but his other eight innings in the series produced just 90 runs in total.
Published: 31 Jan 2025, 02:32 pm IST
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