Delhi captain Ayush Badoni is stepping aside from his usual No. 4 batting position to make room for Virat Kohli in the lineup. This marks Kohli's return to the Ranji Trophy after more than 12 years, and he’ll be batting at No. 4 in Delhi's upcoming match against Railways at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. This spot has been Kohli's go-to since Sachin Tendulkar hung up his boots in 2013.

Kohli is set to take the place of left-hander Jonty Sidhu, who hasn’t been in great form lately due to limited opportunities.

Badoni is giving up his spot so Kohli can play where he’s most comfortable, even though Kohli turned down the chance to captain the team for this match. "He will bat at No. 4. He’s encouraged us to stay positive and play with confidence," Badoni mentioned.

Badoni is one of the few Delhi players who has faced Kohli in a match before. Although he hasn’t shared a dressing room with him, they’ve gone head-to-head in the IPL.

"I’ve played against Virat bhaiyya in the IPL. It’s a privilege to lead both Rishabh and Virat bhaiyya in consecutive matches," the Delhi skipper added.

Kohli would definitely appreciate scoring big before the Champions Trophy, as it aligns with his goals for this match.

Even though the BCCI requires all players to participate in the Ranji Trophy, the outcome of this game won’t impact Kohli’s selection for the Indian team post-Champions Trophy. The Kotla pitch has a bit of a green hue, and Badoni mentioned they’re likely to include an extra fast bowler given the conditions.

Money Grewal seems poised to make a return to the playing XI since he adds that extra pace. One of the two left-arm spinners, either Sumit Mathur or Harsh Tyagi, will be sitting out.

The Railways team has always been a tricky opponent for Delhi, with their seasoned domestic players consistently bringing their best to the field.

Karn Sharma made his Test debut in Adelaide under Kohli’s captaincy 11 years ago, which was also the match where Kohli first led India in red-ball cricket.

Upendra Yadav, the keeper-batter, was part of the Indian setup until about a year ago and is known to be a solid batsman.

Then there's B Vivek Singh, an aggressive left-handed opener who can also bowl medium pace effectively.

In terms of pace, Himanshu Sangwan stands out as their main strike bowler, and if he manages to catch Kohli's outside edge, it’ll be a moment to remember.

Even the Railways team seemed to be in awe of Kohli, with some players snapping selfies with the cricket legend on the first day of training.

Read Also: Steve Smith Matches Sachin Tendulkar with Century Milestone, Surpassing Sunil Gavaskar in Galle

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