Virat Kohli's highly anticipated return to domestic cricket after a 12-year hiatus did not unfold as expected, as he scored only six runs for Delhi against Railways in the first innings of the Ranji Trophy. The Arun Jaitley Stadium experienced an exceptional turnout, with thousands lining up from the early morning to witness the Indian batting legend in action. However, their enthusiasm was quickly dampened when Kohli was clean-bowled by pacer Himanshu Sangwan, resulting in a stunned silence among the packed audience.

The dismissal not only deflated the crowd but also triggered a mass departure from the stadium, with numerous fans leaving before Kohli had even reached the pavilion.

In the aftermath of Kohli's dismissal, social media reactions took a negative turn, as irate fans inundated Instagram with abusive comments aimed at Himanshu Sangwan. Unfortunately, this backlash was misdirected.

With the Railways pacer's Instagram account set to private before the match, frustrated fans mistakenly targeted an unrelated individual sharing the same name. This unsuspecting person, who had no ties to cricket, became the victim of relentless trolling.

In the midst of this turmoil, he ultimately felt compelled to post a clarification on his Instagram story, emphasizing that he was not the bowler responsible for Kohli's dismissal.

Additionally, Delhi pacer Pradeep Sangwan was also at the receiving end of abuses and trolls, possibly due to both, Himanshu and Pradeep sharing the same surname.

Ironically, Pradeep represents Delhi in state cricket, and last played a first-class match for the side in 2022.

Another chance for Kohli?

Kohli, who was requested along with other prominent Indian players to participate in domestic cricket following India's 3-1 Test series loss in Australia, stepped onto the field to the thunderous cheers of his supporters. The atmosphere was charged with excitement as he took his position, and Kohli quickly executed a magnificent straight drive off Sangwan before being dismissed.

However, that moment of joy was short-lived. On the very next ball, his off-stump was uprooted, leaving the audience in shock.

Despite the setback, Kohli's involvement in the Ranji Trophy has already generated a renewed enthusiasm for domestic cricket, which the BCCI had anticipated when urging senior players to engage in this format.

Although Kohli's initial performance did not meet expectations, he is anticipated to have another opportunity in the second innings, where he will seek to leave a significant impact.

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