Ranji Trophy: Team India’s star batter Virat Kohli is making headlines these days for his participation in a Ranji match. After a long gap of 12 years, Kohli is set to play in the Ranji Trophy. He will be seen in action on January 30 in the match between Delhi and Railways. To prepare for this, Virat Kohli practiced with his Delhi teammates at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Tuesday. Kohli was spotted sweating it out in the nets, working hard to improve his batting. Interestingly, he was seen practicing with a thinner bat. But why did he choose this unusual bat?
Kohli Practices with a ‘Middler’ Bat
Before the Ranji match on January 30, Virat Kohli was seen undergoing special batting practice. During his session, Kohli used a special type of bat, much thinner than the regular bats. This type of bat is typically used by batsmen during practice to focus on improving their timing. Practicing with a bat like this also helps players hit the sweet spot more consistently. This thinner bat is known as a ‘middler’ bat.
Kohli's redemption loading in test. pic.twitter.com/cGkDwhwT67
— 𝙈 (@itsmihir412) January 28, 2025
Virat Kohli spent around 45 minutes in the nets at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Tuesday, facing both spin and pace bowlers. During this practice, Kohli faced deliveries from Navdeep Saini, Mani Grewal, Rahul Gehlot, and Siddhant Sharma. He also received throwdowns from a distance of 16 yards. Kohli worked on both his front and back foot play during this session.
Pressure to Perform in the Match After 12 Years
Virat Kohli is set to play a Ranji match after a long gap of 12 years. Naturally, there will be pressure on him to perform well in this match against Railways. His recent form in international cricket has been a topic of concern, with runs not coming easily. Even during the recent tour of Australia, aside from one century, his performance was underwhelming. If Kohli manages to score runs in this Ranji match, it will be a positive sign for Team India ahead of the Champions Trophy.
Delhi | Indian cricketer Virat Kohli joined Delhi's practice session ahead of their Group D Ranji Trophy match against Railways, scheduled for Thursday (January 30) at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. pic.twitter.com/zlbRu7M2eN
— ANI (@ANI) January 28, 2025
Delhi Team Captaincy
Ayush Badoni will captain the Delhi team in the match against Railways. Kohli was also offered the opportunity to captain the Delhi team, but he declined and will play under Badoni’s captaincy.
| Player | Role |
|---|---|
| Ayush Badoni | Captain / Batter |
| Virat Kohli | Batter |
| Pranav Rajvanshi | Wicketkeeper |
| Sanat Sangwan | Batter |
| Arpit Rana | All-rounder |
| Mayank Gusain | Batter |
| Shivam Sharma | Bowler |
| Sumit Mathur | All-rounder |
| Vansh Bedi | Wicketkeeper |
| Mani Grewal | Bowler |
| Harsh Tyagi | Bowler |
| Siddhant Sharma | Bowler |
| Navdeep Saini | Bowler |
| Yash Dhul | Batter |
| Gagan Vats | All-rounder |
| Jonty Sidhu | Batter |
| Himmat Singh | All-rounder |
| Vaibhav Kandpal | Batter |
| Rahul Gehlot | All-rounder |
| Jitesh Singh | Batter |
Also Read: Virat Kohli Returns To Ranji Trophy After 12 Years: Here’s Where You Can Watch The Live Streaming
