"Virat's presence raises the profile of the match" - DDCA secretary reacts as Kohli is named in Delhi squad for Ranji Trophy clash against Railways

Former India captain Virat Kohli has been officially named in the Delhi squad for the Ranji Trophy 2024-25 match against Railways to be played at the Arun Jaitley Stadium starting Thursday, January 30. The veteran cricketer will play under 25-year-old batter Ayush Badoni's leadership.

As per reports, Kohli is likely to train with the Delhi Ranji Trophy squad from Tuesday. The Team India stalwart had last featured in a Ranji Trophy match back in 2012 against Uttar Pradesh in Ghaziabad's Mohan Nagar. The Delhi & Districts Cricket Association (DDCA) is gearing up for the big game, which will mark the star cricketer's much awaited domestic comeback.

Speaking to news agency PTI, DDCA secretary Ashok Sharma asserted that the young players in the Delhi team will benefit from the presence of a legend like Kohli. Sharma said:

"Obviously, it is a great experience for our junior players as they will get to share the dressing room with Virat. If you look at our team, only Navdeep Saini has played alongside Virat in the IPL and for India. In fact, none of the players in the team have played with Virat in the Ranji Trophy. They can learn a lot by watching him."

The DDCA secretary also added that security will be boosted for the game to ensure that the star batter can practice without disturbance. Sharma further revealed that while usually one stand is open in the stadium for Ranji Trophy matches, for the Delhi-Railways clash DDCA will open three stands:

"Gate Nos. 7, 15, and 16 will be open to the public. We will arrange for drinking water, and the toilets will be clean and hygienic. Come and enjoy the match. Of course, there will be security checks before allowing the public to enter," he said.

While there is palpable excitement over Kohli's return to domestic cricket, the Ranji Trophy match between Delhi and Railways is unlikely to be telecasted live. There has been no official word from the BCCI over the matter.

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Virat Kohli had a forgettable 2024 in international cricket

While Kohli was the Player of the Match in the 2024 T20 World Cup final against South Africa for his 76 off 59, he had a forgettable year overall. The right-handed batter played 10 Tests in 2024 and scored 417 runs at an average of 24.52, with one hundred and one fifty.

The former India captain featured in three ODIs last year, scoring 58 runs at an average of 19.33, with a best of 24. In T20Is, he featured in 10 matches and scored 180 runs at an average of 18 and a strike rate of 119.20.