Virat Kohli's presence has significantly elevated the importance of the Ranji Trophy fixture between Railways and Delhi in their Elite Group D clash. Many hope that his inclusion will provide a much-needed morale boost to Delhi as they aim to finish their underwhelming season on a high note at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi.
The 36-year-old's return to first-class cricket after 12 years has drawn significant attention, and the atmosphere around the match has become electric. On Thursday, January 30, Kohli's presence attracted a huge crowd outside the stadium, with fans arriving as early as 3 AM IST to catch a glimpse of the star player.?
The anticipation was palpable, and as the crowd gathered to see him, chants of "Kohli, Kohli" echoed through the air. Interestingly, the Arun Jaitley Stadium is hosting this game as the home ground for Railways. Kohli's popularity transcended the usual loyalties, with fans also chanting "RCB, RCB," showing their support for him as the Royal Challengers Bengaluru player.
According to one user on X (formerly known as Twitter), "27,813 people on the first day of a Ranji Trophy match between Delhi and Railways is the HIGHEST EVER in the history of Ranji Trophy."?
The large crowd wasn't just content to watch from the stands; as one fan even invaded the pitch to meet Kohli, further highlighting his star power.?
The match is being televised live on Sports 18 and streamed on Jio Cinema, with fans all over the country tuning in to witness the excitement.?
Railways, with 17 points from six matches, still have a realistic chance of advancing to the knockout phase if they secure a win with bonus points against Delhi, which would bring their total to 24. Delhi¡¯s campaign, yielding 14 points from six matches, remains technically alive, though the anticipated crowd of 10,000 spectators seems more focused on the spectacle than the outcome of the game itself.?
Railways (Playing XI): Anchit Yadav, Vivek Singh, Suraj Ahuja(c), Upendra Yadav(w), Mohammad Saif, Bhargav Merai, Karn Sharma, Rahul Sharma, Himanshu Sangwan, Ayan Chaudhari, Kunal Yadav?
Delhi (Playing XI): Arpit Rana, Sanat Sangwan, Virat Kohli, Yash Dhull, Ayush Badoni(c), Pranav Rajuvanshi(w), Sumit Mathur, Shivam Sharma, Navdeep Saini, Money Grewal, Siddhant Sharma????
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