Virat Kohli will return to the Ranji Trophy after a 12-year absence. The star batter has confirmed his availability for Delhi’s final group-stage match against Railways, scheduled from January 30 to February 2. Delhi head coach Sarandeep Singh confirmed the news to ESPNcricinfo.
Kohli, however, will not feature in Delhi’s penultimate group match against Saurashtra in Rajkot, starting January 23. While players like Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja have confirmed their participation in that game, Kohli is still recovering from neck pain. He received an injection on January 8, shortly after the Border-Gavaskar Trophy ended in Sydney. This kept him out of action for the Saurashtra match. Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, and Yashasvi Jaiswal will participate in the January 23 round of Ranji games.
Kohli’s return aligns with the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) directive mandating centrally contracted players to feature in domestic cricket if not engaged in national duties. Exceptions can only be made with prior approval from the chairman of selectors, Ajit Agarkar. This directive follows India’s recent Test series losses to New Zealand and Australia.
It remains unconfirmed whether Kohli has informed the Indian team management and Agarkar about his availability for the January 30 match. If the game lasts until February 2, Kohli will have just three days before the ODI series against England begins on February 6. Kohli is a key part of India’s squad for both the England series and the Champions Trophy, which starts on February 20.
Kohli’s participation in the Ranji Trophy highlights the BCCI’s focus on strengthening domestic cricket while balancing players’ national commitments.
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