Virat Kohli was clean bowled by Himanshu Sangwan for 6 runs on his Ranji Trophy return.
Virat Kohli and Himanshu Rana met after the Delhi v Railways Ranji Trophy 2024-25 match in Delhi. Himanshu Sangwan, a right-arm fast bowler from Railways, has dominated headlines for clean bowled Virat Kohli.
Sangwan, an experienced ticket collector at New Delhi Railway Station, had pitched a good-length ball, which Kohli drove down the ground. However, the ball cut in, beating Kohli's inside edge and sending his off stump flying, and the Indian batting legend was sent back to the pavilion after scoring only 6 runs off 15 balls in his first Ranji encounter in 13 years.
Kohli had previously delivered a similar pitch flawlessly for a four, but this time he failed to connect. Earlier in the over, Kunal Yadav made Kohli nervous with two deliveries outside off stump. Kohli charged at Sangwan this time, but Railways got his wicket instead.
After the game, the fast bowler displayed his admiration by approaching Kohli to take his autograph on a cricket ball. Sangwan later posted this moment through a video on his Instagram handle.
“God’s plan, really grateful”- Sangwan captioned the video.
This was not the first time Sangwan had demonstrated his talent. In a 2020 Ranji Trophy match, he dismissed Ajinkya Rahane. His notable wickets include Rinku Singh, Prithvi Shaw, Krunal Pandya, Rajat Patidar, and Devdutt Padikkal.
Sangwan works as a ticket collector at New Delhi Railway Station in addition to his cricketing profession. At the MRF Pace Academy, he was mentored by Australian legend Glenn McGrath, who helped him improve his talents.
"I have never witnessed such a crowd at a Ranji Trophy match, and it was all because of Virat Kohli. People came in huge numbers - it felt nothing short of an international match. The buzz was incredible. Usually, fans come to cheer for players like Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli. But this match was just about Virat. All I could hear for three days was 'Virat! Virat! Kohli! Kohli!'," Sangwan told Times of India.
"Getting Virat Kohli's wicket was a huge moment for me. I can talk about it, but the feeling is beyond words - I simply can't express it. My aggression was natural. A bowler, especially a fast bowler, never likes when a batter hits him for a four or a six. He played a superb straight drive. As a bowler, I was disappointed. Next delivery, I had put extra effort and it paid off," he said.