Ranji Trophy 2025: Virat Kohli, the top batsman for India, returned to domestic cricket, sending his supporters into a frenzy as they started to arrive at the stadium early on Thursday morning. Fans attempted to enter the stadium in long queues that had been there since the morning. To their dismay, however, Delhi decided to bowl first after winning the toss. Originally intended to be a routine Ranji Trophy encounter, the Delhi match quickly evolved into an international contest.
The fact that about 10,000 spectators remained at the stadium despite Railways batting first shows how significant Kohli’s fame is.
However, the DDCA was criticized for their lack of readiness even before the match began since they were unable to manage such a large audience.
At first, the DDCA had announced that supporters would be allowed entry to Gates 16 and 17. However, they failed to open Gate 16, and around 8:20 AM IST, a scenario akin to a rush emerged. The pandemonium at Gate 17 caused several fans to lose their shoes and break the barriers and railings.
Ten thousand spectators were anticipated by the DDCA for the Ranji match. However, Kohli’s presence made even that number insufficient. The Gautam Gambhir stand rapidly filled up, with around 6,000 supporters inside. The government also established the ‘Bishan Bedi Stand’ due to the large number of people.
And when PM Modi’s convoy attempted to enter the stadium as well, the mayhem grew. Authorities had to exercise caution as they attempted to strike a balance between the fans and security procedures because of this out-of-control scenario. DDCA secretary Ashok Sharma was cited by PTI as stating, “I have been involved in Delhi cricket for over 30 years, but I have never seen such scenes for a Ranji Trophy match.”
“With the Prime Minister’s movement happening simultaneously, we had to act fast, and the police instructed us to open another stand to manage the crowd,” he said.
The stadium was packed with 12,000 spectators till the moment of the toss. Whatever Kohli performed on the field, he was met with thunderous applause. He became the focus of attention since he was at second slip. The supporters’ cries of “Kohli! Kohli!” produced an atmosphere never seen before during a home game.
The hype then escalated after an incident. A fervent supporter slipped past security and was seen sprinting in the direction of Kohli during the twelfth over. The security guards moved him away when he was seen caressing Virat’s feet.
It was amazing to see Kohli return to this competition. The heritage and mystique of the top Indian hitters were shown when a domestic match turned into a festival.
