Virat Kohli declines captaincy offer for Delhi's Ranji Trophy match
What's the story
Indian cricket icon, Virat Kohli, is all set to return to the Ranji Trophy after a gap of 12 years. He will be playing for Delhi in their next match against Railways.
This will be his first appearance in the domestic red-ball competition since 2012, when he represented Delhi against Uttar Pradesh at Ghaziabad's Mohan Nagar.
The news has sent fans and players alike into a frenzy.
Training participation
Kohli joins Delhi team for practice session
Kohli was spotted sweating it out with his Delhi teammates in a practice session at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi.
He had earlier informed the Delhi and District State Association of his plans to join the team for training on Tuesday.
"Kohli informed head coach Sarandeep Singh about his willingness to train with the team," a DDCA official confirmed to Times of India.
Leadership decision
Kohli turns down captaincy offer for Delhi
Despite being given an opportunity to lead Delhi's Ranji Trophy team in their match against Railways, Kohli refused the offer.
This comes as Rishabh Pant will also not be available for the fixture, leaving Ayush Badoni to lead the side.
"Pant has been playing First-Class cricket since Duleep Trophy in September," an official explained, justifying Pant's absence from the upcoming match.
Player impact
Kohli's return to Ranji Trophy: A learning opportunity for juniors
DDCA secretary Ashok Sharma was equally excited about Kohli's return, calling it a great learning opportunity for juniors.
"Obviously, it is a great experience for our junior players as they will get to share the dressing room with Virat," Sharma told PTI.
He added only Navdeep Saini from the current team has had the experience of playing alongside Kohli in IPL and for India.
Security update
Enhanced security measures for Kohli's Ranji Trophy return
In view of Kohli's presence, the DDCA has also decided to beef up security for the match.
"We know Virat's presence raises the profile of the match," Sharma said, adding that additional private security personnel would be deployed to ensure Kohli can train without any disturbance.
Despite these enhanced measures and Kohli's high-profile return, entry for spectators will remain free for the Delhi vs Railways match.