Virat Kohli brought to his knees by the BCCI as the batsman’s Ranji comeback was confirmed

After a gap of 12 years, Team India batsman Virat Kohli is scheduled to play in India’s first domestic first-class tournament. Virat Kohli has reportedly confirmed his availability for Delhi’s final group stage match against Railways in the 2024-25 season, which will be played from January 30 to February 2.

The second leg of the 2024-25 Ranji Trophy will begin on January 23. Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja have confirmed their availability for the Delhi-Saurashtra match in Rajkot. Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal are also expected to feature in their respective national teams in the next round.

Virat Kohli is unlikely to play in the upcoming Delhi vs Saurashtra Ranji match

However, Virat Kohli is unlikely to play in the upcoming Ranji match between Delhi and Saurashtra due to ongoing recovery from neck pain, reports ESPNcricinfo. The 36-year-old batsman last played in the Ranji Trophy in November 2012 when he represented Delhi in a match against Uttar Pradesh.

Kohli is still recovering from a sore throat, for which he received an injection on January 8, three days after the Border-Gavaskar Trophy ended in Sydney. However, Kohli confirmed his availability for Delhi’s Ranji Trophy match against Railways, as confirmed by Delhi head coach Sarandeep Singh.

Only three days between the Ranji Match and the start of the ODI series against England

Virat Kohli’s participation in Delhi’s Ranji Trophy match against Railways remains uncertain. It is not clear whether he has informed the Indian team management about his plans. If the Ranji match ends on February 2, it will be just three days until the start of the ODI series against England on February 6.

The right-handed batsman is part of India’s squad for England series and ICC Champions Trophy 2025. Kohli is all set to return to international cricket for the three-match ODI series against England. The Rohit Sharma-led team’s first match in the Champions Trophy is scheduled for February 20.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has introduced a set of 10 guidelines, one of which mandates the participation of players in domestic matches whenever they are available.

Virat Kohli is a once in a lifetime cricketer – Sourav Ganguly

Former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly has backed Kohli amid his recent struggles during the Australia tour. At an event in Kolkata, Ganguly described Kohli as a “once-in-a-lifetime cricketer” and the best white-ball player.

“Virat Kohli is a once-in-a-lifetime cricketer, as is Jhulan, as is Mithali. To score 80 hundreds in international cricket is incredible. To me, he is the best white-ball player the world has seen world”.

Kohli had a disappointing outing in the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, which India lost 1-3. He scored just 190 runs in nine innings at an average of 23.75. His only significant contribution was an unbeaten century in the second innings of the Perth Test, with no other outstanding performances in the series.

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