New Delhi: It had been a whole 12 years since Virat Kohli last played for Delhi in the Ranji Trophy, but seeing him laugh and casually walk around the Arun Jaitley Stadium with his teammates on Tuesday made it feel like he never left at all.

There was a different vibe in the air when Kohli showed up at the ground that morning. The excitement among the stadium staff and the gathered media was palpable, especially for the long-time officials who have been around cricket for years.

The players were scheduled to gather at 9 am, and Kohli arrived right on time, bringing a level of discipline and focus that the team hadn’t seen in ages. The organized practice drills and the energy during the session felt like a refreshing change for those used to a more routine approach.

For a relatively young Delhi team currently sitting sixth in the eight-team Elite Group D, their otherwise low-stakes match against Railways has suddenly gained a lot of attention with just one more practice day before the game kicks off on Thursday.

This increased focus is exactly what the Delhi administration was hoping for to boost the Ranji squad, aligning with Delhi’s reputation as a traditional cricketing powerhouse when the BCCI’s 10-point policy was introduced, encouraging Indian cricketers to participate in domestic cricket.

Kohli kicked off his three-hour training session with the team getting loose during warm-ups and playing a bit of football.

Under the watchful eyes of Delhi coach Sarandeep Singh and batting coach Bantoo Singh, Kohli suited up and caught up with Mahesh Bhati, the team manager who had seen him grow since his early days.

With his concentration on point, Kohli started his net practice by switching off with young captain Ayush Badoni before spending about 15 minutes with throwdown expert Abhishek Saxena.

After getting warmed up, he moved to the first net to face left-arm spinners Harsh Tyagi and Sumit Mathur, along with off-spinner Shivam Sharma. For over 20 minutes, he focused on his timing and footwork before heading to the net where the fast bowlers were at work, taking on Navdeep Saini and Siddhant Sharma.

During the hour-long session, Kohli mainly practiced his leaves, with everyone watching closely to see if he was addressing his off-stump dismissals—a trend that had followed him throughout the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series in Australia—right at the place where he first made a name for himself as a promising young talent.

An eight-year-old named Kabir was among the crowd, watching Kohli with keen interest, thanks to his dad who encouraged him to pay attention to the former India captain’s balance and head position.

Kabir’s dad, Shawej Khan, who used to play for Delhi and was once a teammate of Kohli in their youth cricket days, later shared a heartfelt hug with him.

Kohli took a moment to connect with the young fan, offering some advice and inspiration that could really help shape Kabir’s future in cricket. He even signed Kabir’s hand-drawn picture of him, writing, “Dear Kabir, Best Wishes, Virat Kohli.”

After the nets session wrapped up, Kohli gathered with the coaches for a quick chat before heading over to join his teammates for some slip-catching practice on the main field.

This marks the last Ranji game of the season for Delhi, and it’s uncertain if Kohli will continue to support Delhi cricket moving forward. But for this week, his return to the Ranji Trophy serves as a powerful reminder of the influence he has on the place where it all started.

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