The debates surrounding the participation of Virat Kohli in the Ranji Trophy are cleared as the former Indian captain is set to play for Delhi’s last game in the group stages of the ongoing tournament against Railways on January 30 (Wednesday). After 12 years, the King of Cricket confirms his return to the Indian domestic red-ball tournament.

The Indian batting stalwart was supposed to be a part of Delhi’s squad for the intense clash scheduled on January 23 (Wednesday against Saurashtra. But, he later explained to the BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) about his unavailability due to neck stiffness.

The Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) recently confirmed on Monday (January 20) that the 36-year-old would be available for the forthcoming match against Railways in the Group D fixtures.

Kohli’s decision to make himself ready for the domestic circuit unfolds after the BCCI’s latest ‘10-point diktat’, which makes it mandatory for all centrally contracted Indian cricketers to participate in domestic tournaments.

DDCA Official About Virat Kohli’s Participation in Ranji Trophy

One of the close sources associated with DDCA confirmed Virat Kohli’s availability for the ongoing Ranji Trophy fixture:

“Yeah! Virat Kohli is fit to play the next Ranji Trophy match against Railways on 30th January 2025. As he faced neck stiffness issues, he wasn’t ready to play the match against Saurashtra. We are delighted that he is ready to play for Delhi after so many years”.

When did Kohli Play His Previous Ranji Trophy Match?

Kohli played his last Ranji Trophy Match against Uttar Pradesh in November 2012 under Virender Sehwag’s captaincy. Interestingly, the Indian cricket team’s current head coach Gautam Gambhir served as the team’s opening batter at that time.

The right-handed batter scored 14 runs out of 19 balls (including 2 fours) in the first innings. He added 43 runs out of 65 balls played (including 7 fours) in the second innings and maintained a 70-run partnership with Gambhir. In both innings, he was dismissed by Bhuvneshwar Kumar as Delhi suffered a six-wicket defeat. It was indeed his last match in the domestic arena just before the commencement of the home test series against England in the same month.

After becoming a regular player in India’s test squad, the run-machine Kohli hasn’t made his appearance in a single Ranji Trophy fixture for Delhi.

Virat Kohli’s Stats in the Ranji Trophy

Since Kohli’s Ranji Trophy debut in 2006 against Tamil Nadu, he played 23 matches for Delhi. In six years, he amassed 1,574 runs averaging at 50.77 including 5 centuries and half-centuries each. Here is a year-wise breakdown of Virat’s stats in the Ranji Trophy:

The above numbers prove that the veteran batter experienced his most memorable season in 2009–10 scoring 374 runs in 3 matches, averaging 93.50, including a century and two half-centuries. 

BCCI’s Strict Guidelines to Participate in Domestic Cricket

Not only Virat Kohli but also several senior cricketers in the present Indian squad are mandated to participate in the domestic tournaments following a crushing 1-3 test series loss against Australia.

Unless there is an injury, the centrally contracted players should play in these contests to ensure their selection in the national squad.

Participating in domestic cricket matches has additional advantages as it allows the out-of-form cricketers to regain momentum and assists in nurturing the talents of young players by competing against India’s best players.

Conclusion:

As the instructions have been made clear, high-profile cricketers like Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ravindra Jadeja, and Rishabh Pant are set to play for the forthcoming round of Ranji Trophy on January 23.

Whereas, Virat Kohli, who sustained a neck sprain during the fifth and final test of the Border Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25, took an injection on 8th January, which is three days after the completion of the series. However, fans are excited to watch the star batter once again in the domestic tournament, as the seasoned batter is deemed to be fit to play in the group phase’s final round of the Ranji Trophy starting on January 30.

Finally, Virat Kohli is preparing himself for a busy schedule after the completion of the Ranji Trophy’s final round on February 02 and will have to report to the national team squad for the ODI series against England starting on February 06.