Virat Kohli Clean Bowled! Silence Fills Stadium as Delhi Star Falls Against Railways

New Delhi : Delhi made a promising start to their Ranji Trophy 2024-25 encounter against Railways as openers Sanat Sangwan and Yash Dhull laid a solid foundation, putting together a steady 67-run stand for the second wicket. The duo looked comfortable, rotating the strike well, until Yash Dhull was adjudged LBW in a decision that seemed debatable. However, his dismissal paved the way for the moment everyone had been waiting for—Virat Kohli’s arrival at the crease.

The Arun Jaitley Stadium erupted as Kohli walked in, marking his much-anticipated return to Delhi’s domestic side. Fans, who had flocked in thousands to witness their hometown hero, cheered in excitement, expecting a vintage Kohli knock. However, what followed left them stunned. After confidently driving his second ball straight down the ground for a boundary, Kohli was bowled on the very next delivery. Himanshu Sangwan’s perfect delivery breached his defense, rattling his off-stump, leaving the packed stadium in absolute silence. A wave of disappointment spread across the stands as fans, who had turned up in massive numbers, started leaving the stadium in disbelief.

Delhi’s hopes of securing a crucial victory in their last-gasp attempt at qualification for the knockout stages of the Ranji Trophy took a hit with Kohli’s early dismissal. However, the team remains in the contest. Earlier, on Day 1, Delhi’s bowlers did well to bundle out Railways after a stubborn fightback. Navdeep Saini led the attack with three wickets, including the crucial dismissal of Upendra Yadav, who top-scored with 95. Railways’ resistance came through Yadav and Karn Sharma (50), who stitched together a century stand, but Delhi ensured they did not run away with a massive total.

Despite Kohli’s failure, Delhi’s hopes now rest on young batters like Yash Dhull, who has looked in good touch, and captain Ayush Badoni, who will be crucial in steering the innings forward. With Day 2 set to bring more drama and excitement, all eyes will be on whether Delhi can recover from the early setbacks and post a competitive total.