DDCA asks fans to bring 'Aadhar card' to watch Virat Kohli in action on Ranji Trophy return

There is a lot of craze for Kohli's Ranji Trophy return after nearly 13 years.

Virat Kohli | PTI

Star India batter Virat Kohli is set to make his long-awaited Ranji Trophy return after nearly 13 years, with his last appearance dating back to 2012. He will turn up for Delhi in their final group-stage match against Railways, starting January 30 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.

In the lead up to the fixture, Kohli has been training with his Delhi teammates, almost all of whom are sharing the dressing room with him for the first time and are excited to have him among them.

The craze for Kohli's Ranji comeback is such that the BCCI was forced to broadcast the game due to the demand from the fans. Now, for people in Delhi wanting to catch a glimpse of the legendary cricketer, you just need to head over to the Arun Jaitley stadium with an identity proof.

The Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) secretary Ashok Kumar Sharma confirmed that entry would be free for the fans, and they just needed to bring the original copy of their Aadhar card and its photocopy.

“The Gautam Gambhir Stand will be open for the spectators. The fans can enter from Gate No 16 and 17. Gate No 6 will also be open for the DDCA members and guests. We are expecting a 10,000 crowd for the first day,” Sharma told The Indian Express.

“It’s a free entry. The fans just need to bring their original copy of their Aadhaar card and its photocopy as well. The arrangements for the fans has been made. It will be like any international or an IPL match,” he added.

The DDCA secretary also revealed that they have asked the Delhi Police to beef up the security for the next four days.

“This is not a normal Ranji Trophy match. Apna Cheeku (Kohli’s nickname) khel raha hai (Our Cheeku is playing). We have requested the Delhi Police to help us with more extra police force for the next four days. We’ll also have our own private security as well,” he said.

Ashok Kumar Sharma made it clear that there is no plan to felicitate Kohli as it is not going to be his final game. “This is not his last match. There is no such plan,” said Sharma.

Virat Kohli’s return to the Ranji Trophy has been inspired by BCCI’s latest diktat that makes it mandatory for centrally contracted players to feature in domestic cricket when not on national duty. The decision was taken after India’s 1-3 drubbing in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy Down Under.

Kohli, who scored just 190 runs during the five-Test series in Australia, wasn't available for selection for Delhi's match against Saurashtra due to neck sprain last week.

 
 

By Salman Anjum - 29 Jan, 2025

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