Kohli to train with Delhi ahead of Ranji tie, Pant to sit out
The premier batter will practice with the side from Tuesday, ahead of his first Ranji game since late 2012
New Delhi: Virat Kohli will train with the Delhi Ranji Trophy squad at the Arun Jaitley Stadium from Tuesday ahead of his return to the premier domestic first-class tournament after over 12 years.
The 36-year-old did not play last week in Delhi’s defeat to Saurashtra because of a neck niggle, but has made himself available for the home game against Railways starting on Thursday, Delhi District Cricket Association (DDCA) secretary Ashok Sharma confirmed to HT. The cricket board (BCCI) had directed all the India team members to play Ranji games after the 1-3 Test series defeat in Australia that saw batters in particular struggle.
Delhi are out of reckoning for a knockout spot from Elite Group D, placed sixth out of the eight teams with one game to play. However, interest in the game has zoomed with Kohli’s return to the side and hundreds of fans are expected to turn up to watch him practice as well.
Kohli’s last Ranji Trophy game was against Uttar Pradesh, in Ghaziabad in November, 2012.
India wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant though has made himself unavailable for the game. Pant was among the India team players to feature in the previous round, scoring one and 17 in the 10-wicket loss to Saurashtra in Rajkot. He has not specified any reason.
India Test skipper Rohit Sharma, who played in Mumbai’s shock loss to Jammu and Kashmir last week, Yashasvi Jaiswal as well as Shreyas Iyer – all three are in the Champions Trophy squad -- will sit out the Elite Group A game against Meghalaya.
Meanwhile, KL Rahul is expected to feature in Karnataka’s last stage match against Haryana in Bengaluru and Mohammed Siraj has made himself available for Hyderabad’s match against Vidarbha in Nagpur.
All-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, who took 10 wickets in the win over Delhi, will play the home game against Assam. Shubman Gill was the other success among the India players, scoring a second-innings century in Punjab’s defeat to Karnataka.
The Delhi and District Cricket Association said that spectators will be allowed to watch the match and some of the stands will be thrown open.
