Virat Kohli during Ranji Trophy practice© X (Twitter)
The popularity of Virat Kohli has brought about a big change in the broadcasting plans for the Delhi vs Railways Ranji Trophy match, starting January 30. The match wasn’t supposed to be streamed live on TV as per the original plan but the official broadcaster of the tournament, Jio Cinema, has decided to send its team to the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi now, in a bid to pounce on the Kohli-fever. An update has confirmed that fans will be able to wat Delhi vs Railways live on their streaming devices as Kohli makes a return to domestic red-ball cricket after a gap of 12 years.
JIOCINEMA WILL TELECAST DELHI VS RAILWAYS RANJI MATCH.
– The aura and impact of King Kohli. pic.twitter.com/WtBcgvdSUb
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) January 28, 2025
Virat was also asked if he would like to lead Delhi in the match against Railways but he turned down the opportunity. An ANI report quoted a source as saying: “We asked Virat if he would be willing to take up the captaincy for the game against Railways. However, he refused, saying, ‘Let Ayush Badoni continue. I don’t want to lead.'”
Kohli’s decision reflects his support for the younger player and his willingness to give the next generation an opportunity to grow.
Kohli joined Delhi’s practice session on Tuesday ahead of their Elite Group D Ranji Trophy match against Railways, scheduled for Thursday at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. Kohli, returning to domestic cricket after a significant hiatus, was spotted honing his skills in the nets as he prepares for the much-anticipated encounter.
Virat’s participation in the domestic circuit comes after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) adopted a firmer stance on the participation of Indian international stars in domestic cricket.
Over the past few days, photos and videos of Virat working with former India and Royal Challengers Bangalore batting coach Sanjay Bangar have surfaced on social media.
The final round of Ranji Trophy matches will conclude on February 2, just four days before India begins their three-match bilateral ODI series against England in Nagpur. Virat has accumulated 11,479 runs in 155 First-Class matches, with an average of 48.23 and a strike rate of 55.96.
With ANI Inputs
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