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Virat Kohli mania to strike Delhi as DDCA makes special arrangement for Ranji game vs Railways, announces free ticket

Jan 26, 2025 10:18 AM IST

The match will mark the return of Virat Kohli to India's premier red-ball domestic tournament after 13 years

Virat Kohli mania is set top take over Delhi as the former India captain is all geared up to make a Ranji Trophy comeback next week at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi when the home team hosts Railways in their final group game. The match will mark the return of Kohli to India's premier red-ball domestic tournament after 13 years, having last played in November 2012 against Uttar Pradesh in Ghaziabad.

India's Virat Kohli walks off the field after losing the fifth and final Test match at the Sydney Cricket Ground on January 5(AFP)
India's Virat Kohli walks off the field after losing the fifth and final Test match at the Sydney Cricket Ground on January 5(AFP)

According to a report in Dainik Jagran, Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) is making special arrangements for the return of Kohli to domestic cricket. In addition to getting increased security at the venue, DDCA is also making arrangements to host about 10,000 spectators at the stadium, hence North End and Old Club House will be opened for fans. The report further said that if extra seating arrangements are required, it will be made on the ground floor of the rest of the stands.

DDCA also reportedly announced that no tickets will be issued for the match, hence all the spectators will be able to watch this match for free.

Kohli's Ranji return after 13 years

The star India batter was slated to make his return to domestic cricket earlier this week in Delhi's match against Saurashtra in Rajkot. But he pulled out of the match citing stiffness in the neck, however, he did confirm his availability for the game against Railways, which will begin on January 30.

Kohli's decision to return to Ranji Trophy came amid BCCI's mandate on domestic cricket participation for all India regulars in a bid to keep themselves relevant for national team selection. It was part of a 10-point diktat that the board released in the wake of India's dreadful batting show in the tour of Australia, which concluded earlier this month. The 36-year-old had scored 190 runs in the series, which albeit included a ton in Perth.

Earlier this week, other India Test regulars made a comeback to domestic cricket including the likes of captain Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja and Shubman Gill.

Delhi lost their previous Ranji game against Saurashtra by 10 wickets, which left them in the fifth spot in Group D, one place behind Railways, after just one win in six matches.

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ICC Champions Trophy , ICC Champions Trophy Schedule , and Champions Trophy 2025 Points Table – stay ahead with real-time match updates, team standings, and insights. Check live cricket score , player stats, and ICC rankings of top players like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli . Get expert analysis, match previews, and in-depth coverage of ICC CT 2025 and IPL 2025, all on HT Crickit, powered by Hindustan Times – your trusted source for cricket news.
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