New Delhi: Virat Kohli’s highly anticipated return to the Ranji Trophy for the match against Railways represents a pivotal moment in his career. This marks his first appearance in India’s premier first-class competition in over 13 years, and he will be donning the Delhi team jersey once again, reconnecting with his roots. Kohli honed his skills with Delhi, starting a journey that ultimately saw him rise to become one of the world’s top cricketers for a long period.
This game holds special significance for Kohli as it marks his first appearance for Delhi in any format since the 2013 Challenger Trophy. He led the Delhi team to the final of the tournament, where they were beaten by India B by 50 runs at Indore’s Holkar Stadium.
Kohli’s journey to success was not without challenges, as he encountered difficulties early on. He had previously shared how he was removed from the state U-14 team at the last moment due to financial limitations. Moreover, Kohli mentioned that his father remained steadfast in his values and declined to offer any bribes to secure his son’s place on the team.
“I was selected for the U-14 Delhi team and then I was dropped at 1:00 AM because of some complications…, you know how and what happens at the state levels, someone was preferred over me because of some compensations that were done. “The same was offered to my father as well. That if you can (pay for selection), maybe he (Kohli) can get into the team after two games. My father straightaway said ‘I’m not gonna pay a single penny to make him play. If he can play on his talent, so be it. If not, it’s not meant for him’,” said Kohli in an interaction with Dinesh Karthik for SKY Sports.
In 2006, Kohli endured the heartbreaking loss of his father. Despite this personal tragedy, he demonstrated remarkable resilience and dedication by taking part in a Ranji Trophy match for Delhi only hours after the loss. This act of bravery has become one of the most memorable moments in Indian cricket. On the field, Kohli impressed everyone with his performance, scoring an impressive 90 runs before rushing home to perform his father’s last rites.
Today, Kohli is hailed as one of the finest cricketers ever. His immense talent and unwavering determination have led him to become the fourth-highest run-scorer in international cricket. With 81 centuries across all formats, he sits just behind the legendary Sachin Tendulkar in terms of the most centuries at the elite level.
