Virat Kohli made his highly anticipated return to domestic red-ball cricket on Thursday, taking the field for Delhi in their final Ranji Trophy league match against Railways. It has been over 12 years since Kohli last represented Delhi, during which he was part of a playing XI that included prominent Indian players such as Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, and Ishant Sharma.

While Kohli has established himself as one of the greats of modern cricket, he has also experienced a tumultuous relationship with one of his former teammates from that XI—Gambhir. The two have had several confrontations during the Indian Premier League, with a notable altercation in the 2013 season raising significant concerns about their camaraderie, despite being international teammates at that time.

Rajat Bhatia, a former Delhi player who shared the dressing room with Kohli, intervened during the IPL match to separate the two. At that time, Bhatia was playing for the Kolkata Knight Riders, led by Gambhir, while Kohli was representing the Royal Challengers Bangalore.

As Kohli returned to the domestic red-ball format, Bhatia humorously remarked that he is more recognized for his role as a mediator between the two cricketing icons than for his own achievements on the field. 

“People primarily remember me for having intervened in a fight between two individuals. That seems to overshadow my performances. Now, one is in the stands, and the other is in the pavilion (laughs),” Bhatia commented during a broadcast.

He further added, “Every team experiences minor confrontations. Even in Delhi's Ranji team, there were instances. However, it is essential not to let those issues persist. Today, one is the head coach, and the other plays a crucial role in the team.”

Kohli fails in first innings

Virat Kohli was unable to leave a significant impact during the first innings of the match, as he was dismissed for a mere 6 runs off 15 balls. Himanshu Sangwan disrupted Kohli's performance early in the innings by sending his stumps flying, thus tarnishing the Delhi batter's return to the team.

Kohli rejoined Delhi's Ranji team following a challenging period with the bat; the Indian cricketer did not achieve a single half-century and managed to score only one century across 10 Test matches (5 at home and 5 away).

Read Also: Virat Kohli's Ranji Return Cut Short: Off-Stump Shattered, Fans Left Heartbroken

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