Superstar Indian cricketer Virat Kohli yesterday flopped in his first domestic cricket match in more than a decade to the dismay of thousands who turned out to see him play.
International stars were ordered by India’s cricket board to return to domestic matches in a bid to lift their form following a soul-searching 3-1 series defeat in Australia.
Kohli, 36, and other team titans have made regular appearances in the lucrative Indian Premier League, but this week marked his return to the Ranji Trophy — the nation’s premier red-ball tournament — after a 12-year absence.
Photo: AFP
He strode in to bat for hosts Delhi on the second day of their match against Railways to roars and chants of his name from the stands.
After a circumspect start and a few play-and-misses on the off-side, Kohli drove fast bowler Himanshu Sangwan for a rasping straight drive to bring the crowd to its feet.
However, the joy was short-lived as the next ball went straight through his defense and the off-stump went cartwheeling with him on 6.
Dejected fans began making their way to the exit even as Kohli was walking back to the pavilion, and the stadium numbers soon dwindled from thousands to less than a few hundred.
India skipper Rohit Sharma had also faltered on his return to Ranji cricket last week when he scored just 3 off 19 balls for Mumbai.
Rohit and fellow opener Yashasvi Jaiswal opted out of this week’s match.
Both Kohli and Rohit have faced severe scrutiny over their batting struggles in Australia, with questions raised about their future in Test cricket.
Kohli scored an unbeaten century in the first Test match, but his other eight innings in the series produced just 90 runs in total.
Rohit, 37, who missed the only India win of the series in the first Test because of the birth of his second child, managed 31 runs in three matches.
India’s next Test assignment will be a tour to England for five matches starting in June.
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