Star Indian batsman Virat Kohli has decided to return to the Ranji Trophy after a gap of 12 years. The 36-years-old Kohli will play against Railways from January 30, marking his comeback in this premier domestic tournament. His last appearance in the Ranji Trophy was in 2012 when he played against Uttar Pradesh in Ghaziabad.
The Indian batsman scored 14 runs in the first innings and added 43 runs in the second innings. The president of the Delhi and District Cricket Association, Rohan Jaitley, stated that Kohli has confirmed his availability for the match to be played in Delhi from January 30. If the former Indian captain plays this match, it will be his first Ranji Trophy match since November 2012. Virat Kohli scored 14 runs in the first innings and 43 runs in the second innings, and he was dismissed by Bhuvneshwar Kumar in both innings. Delhi faced a 6-wickets defeat.
Kaif pointed out Kohli’s weakness: Kaif clearly stated that Scott Boland, who couldn’t even secure a permanent spot in Australia’s playing XI, knows exactly how to dismiss Kohli. He said,
A bowler like Boland, who has played only two or three tests for Australia in a year, knows where to bowl to get Kohli out. Just bowl outside the off-stump, and you will get his wicket! The ball will take the outside edge of Kohli’s bat, and fielders behind the stumps will take the catch. This has now become a well-known strategy.
Former Indian captain Mohammad kaif supported Kohli for the 2025 Champion Trophy while also suggested some improvements. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Kaif mentioned concerns about Kohli’s form with the red ball but highlighted his exceptional records in white-ball cricket. He further stated, “Virat never gives up and is always ready for a comeback. He has 50 centuries and over 13,000 runs to his name.” Kaif also recalled Kohli’s remarkable innings of 122 runs off 61 balls against Afghanistan, where he smashed six sixes.
He added that Kohli enjoy playing in Dubai, and he expects him to perform well in the Champions Trophy. Kaif believes that if Kohli performs strongly in the first match, he will continue scoring runs, emphasizing that his era is not over- it will continue.
Kaif has posted a video on his social media in which says…” Where Virat Kohli played Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s deliveries effectively until he edged one, which was caught by Mohammad Kaif in the slip. Kaif described it as a test for him, staying alert as he anticipated Kohli’s dismissal. He also expressed disbelief about playing a Ranji match after more than 12 years and recalled that Kohli’s last Ranji Trophy match was against Delhi in 2012.
In this match, all the star were playing. For Uttar Pradesh, there were Suresh Raina, Kaif, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, and from Delhi, there were Virendra Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Virat Kohli, Aahish Nehra, and Ishant Sharma.
Kaif hopes that Virat Kohli is preparing to return to the Ranji Trophy with the new players, and that towards the end of his illustrious career, he will address the shortcomings in his game.
Read More: Virat Kohli has Same weakness I saw in 2012: Mohammad Kaif
