Ace India batter Virat Kohli is likely to play Ranji Trophy after 13 years of hiatus. He has reportedly confirmed his availability for Delhi in their next fixture, scheduled to begin on January 30 against Railways.
Kohli will miss the upcoming Ranji Trophy 2024-25 match between Delhi and Saurashtra due to neck stiffness, but as per reports, Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) confirmed on Monday that he will be available for the upcoming clash against Railways.
"Virat Kohli is available for the Ranji Trophy fixture against Railways on January 30. He had some neck stiffness, so he wasn't available for the match against Saurashtra. We are really happy that he has decided to represent Delhi after all these years," sources confirmed to Hindustan Times.
Kohli has played 23 Ranji Trophy games for Delhi, amassing 1574 runs at an average of 50.77. Kohli's career includes five centuries, with his best season coming in 2009-10 when he amassed 374 runs in just three matches at an impressive average of 93.50. During his final Ranji appearance in 2012-13, the 36-year-old hit 57 runs.
Kohli has struggled for consistency in Test cricket, experiencing a dry spell despite flashes of brilliance. While he hit a century in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy opener against Australia in Perth, his overall performance in the five-match series was disappointing, with only 190 runs in total.
Over the past four years, Kohli has managed just three Test centuries, falling behind his contemporaries in the 'Fab Four' – Kane Williamson, Steve Smith, and Joe Root.
Virat Kohli has been named India’s squad for the England ODIs and the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 and all eyes will be on him to see if he can rediscover his form during the prestigious eight-team ICC extravaganza.
Since the BCCI directive for all contracted players to mandatorily play domestic cricket, players like Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ravindra Jadeja, Rishabh Pant, and Shubman Gill have all confirmed their availability for the next round of the Ranji Trophy, set to begin on January 23.
