Virat Kohli made his first appearance for Delhi in Ranji Trophy cricket after 13 years as he took the field for their match against Railways at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on January 30, 2025. This was the first time Kohli had played domestic cricket for Delhi since 2012.
The Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) planned free admittance for 10,000 supporters, but the turnout exceeded everyone's expectations.
Kohli, who has a large fan base all over the world, was taken aback by the record turnout, and he thanked supporters for their support during the morning session of the ongoing Elite Group D match against Railways.
Kohli can be seen waving his hand in a video uploaded by BCCI Domestic's official X handle, thanking his supporters.
Virat Kohli's unrivaled aura was on full display in and around the Arjun Jaitley Stadium even before the Ranji Trophy match between Delhi and Railways began, as hundreds of Indian fans lined up to see the superstar make his first domestic red-ball appearance in 13 years.
The DDCA (Delhi and Districts Cricket Association) expected a crowd of approximately 10,000 for Kohli's homecoming, which is unprecedented for a Ranji Trophy game. But his magnetic attraction was so strong that even those lofty calculations were rendered ineffective.
Long before the game began at 9:30 a.m. local time, Kohli's devoted fans jostled to enter the stadium.
The DDCA initially offered the about 6,000-capacity 'Gautam Gambhir Stand' for spectators, but when officials realized the crowd situation could get out of hand, they were obliged to open the 'Bishan Bedi Stand,' which can hold around 14,000.
The 'Gautam Gambhir Stand' was already full to the rafters, and it didn't take long to fill the bottom tier of the 'Bishan Bedi Stand,' bringing the crowd figure well beyond 12,000 at the toss.
(PTI inputs)