Virat Kohli Set to End 12-Year Hiatus, Available for Delhi’s Next Ranji Trophy Match vs Railways

Virat Kohli Set to End 12-Year Hiatus: Virat Kohli will make his much-awaited comeback after a 12-year interval in the Ranji Trophy. The star batter is slated to play for Delhi in the next fixture starting on January 30. Previously, Kohli was kept out of Delhi's squad for the January 23 match against Saurashtra due to stiffness in his neck. A DDCA source confirmed that he would be eligible to play against Railways.

"Virat Kohli is available for the Ranji Trophy fixture against Railways on January 30. He had some neck stiffness, so he wasn't available for the match against Saurashtra. We are really happy that he has decided to represent Delhi after all these years," sources confirmed to Hindustan Times.

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Kohli has played 23 matches in the Ranji Trophy for Delhi, accumulating 1574 runs at an incredible average of 50.77. This includes five centuries, with Kohli's average in the 2009-10 season far exceeding that of the others - he scored 374 runs in just three matches with a stunning average of 93.50. In the 2012-13 season, in his last Ranji match against Uttar Pradesh, which was played in Ghaziabad, he scored 57 runs.

One of the early defining moments of Kohli's career and the struggle began in 2006, while playing for Delhi against Karnataka at the Arun Jaitley Stadium-this was then Feroz Shah Kotla. While the match was in play, Kohli's father Prem Kohli succumbed to a heart attack. The next day, he was 40 not out when play stopped at night and was utterly devastated. But he braved himself to play the next day and made the match-saving 90 runs. Kohli then went straight to his father's funeral afterward; it is thus testament to his sheer toughness and allegiance to the sport.

Kohli's inconsistency in Test cricket remains one of the major disappointments; flashes of brilliance notwithstanding, he has sometimes got into a rut. Although he hit a century in Perth in the first Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia, the five-match series underwhelmed, with Kohli managing just 190 runs altogether.

Kohli battled against a perennial technical flaw throughout the series. The player chased balls outside the off stump, leading to all his eight dismissals being eerily alike. The batter seemed unable to dispel this glaring issue, and this was very evident from the fraying of his nerves indeed. Following his most recent dismissal in Sydney, Kohli clearly showed his frustration; he struck his head and pad in exasperation after edging once more a cruel delivery outside off stump bowled to him by Scott Boland.

"The last four years have seen Kohli amass just three Test centuries, trailing the other three of the 'Fab-Four'-Kane Williamson, Steve Smith, and Joe Root. He has been named in the squad for the upcoming three-match ODI series against England and the mega ICC Champions Trophy, and all eyeballs will be on Kohli to find his feet again in ICC's eight-team prestigious showpiece."

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'Domestic cricket is mandatory'

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has enacted a 10-point directive for centrally contracted players that puts emphasis on the need to play domestic cricket. In documents accessed by the Hindustan Times, failure to feature in domestic tournaments will have a bearing on players' chances of getting selected for the national team as well as the renewal of contracts with the BCCI.

"Participation in domestic matches is mandatory for players to remain eligible for selection in the national team and for central contracts, as per BCCI guidelines. This policy ensures that players stay connected to the domestic cricket ecosystem, fostering talent development, maintaining match fitness, and strengthening the overall domestic structure," the document states.

"Additionally, it inspires emerging players by providing them opportunities to compete alongside top cricketers, ensuring continuity in talent progression. Any exceptions to this mandate will be considered only under extraordinary circumstances and will require formal notification and approval from the Chairman of the Selection Committee, ensuring fairness and transparency in the process," the document stated further.

Since the edict was issued, players like Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ravindra Jadeja, Rishabh Pant, and Shubman Gill have all confirmed that they are available for the next round of the Ranji Trophy, which will start on January 23.

"No compliance will lead to disciplinary action," BCCI stated. "All players are expected to adhere strictly to the above guidelines. Any exceptions or deviations must be pre-approved by the Chairman of the Selection Committee and Head Coach. Non-compliance may lead to disciplinary action as deemed appropriate by the BCCI," the document states.

"Additionally, the BCCI reserves the right to take disciplinary action against a player which may include (i) sanction against the concerned player from participating in all BCCI conducted tournaments including the Indian Premier League; and (ii) deduction from retainer amount/match fees under the BCCI Player contract," the board stated further.

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