Star batter Virat Kohli was felicitated by the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) for being only the third player from the team to play 100 or more Tests for India. Apart from Kohli, former India batter Virender Sehwag and pacer Ishan Sharma are the other players from the team to feature in over 100 Test matches. The felicitation ceremony took place after the close of play Day 2 of Delhi’s Ranji Trophy Elite Group D match against Railways on Friday.
Kohli’s childhood coach Rajkumar Sharma was present at the Arun Jaitley Stadium for the special occasion. Before the start of the ceremony, Kohli caught up with Sharma. He touched his feet and shared a hug with the renowned cricket coach.
Virat Kohli touching his childhood coach’s feet during the felicitation ceremony.
Can anything better moment from this.
Proud coach pic.twitter.com/WVM09jN1Ml
— JA (she/her) (@JayashreeNaik13) February 1, 2025
Kohli’s much-anticipated return to the Ranji Trophy was short-lived, as he was knocked over for just six runs by Himanshu Sangwan on Friday at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi.
On Day 2, Kohli showed a glimpse of his brilliance with a beautiful straight drive off Sangwan just a ball before his dismissal. However, the very next delivery proved fatal–angled in on a fullish length just outside off, the ball seamed in sharply as Kohli attempted a drive but left a gap between bat and pad. The delivery rushed through, clipping the off-stump and sending the bails flying. It was a moment to remember for Sangwan, who not only claimed the prized wicket but also saw the stadium empty out soon after.
Virat has faced a decline in form in recent matches. In 39 Test matches since the start of 2020, he has scored just 2,028 runs at an average of 30.72, with three centuries and nine fifties to show. His best score has been 186.
Virat ended the ICC World Test Championship 2023-25 cycle with 751 runs in 14 matches and 25 innings at an average of 32.65, with two centuries and three fifties. His best score was 121.
In 10 Tests last year, he scored just 417 runs at an average of 24.52 with just one century and fifty, to conclude a disappointing year.
The 36-year-old’s last appearance in Ranji was back in November 2012 against Uttar Pradesh, in which he was dismissed for 14 and 42 runs in both innings by pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar.
Overall, in his Ranji career, Virat has scored 1,573 runs at an average of 50.77, with five centuries and six fifties in 23 matches.
(With ANI Inputs)
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