Virat Kohli’s first match back in domestic cricket after more than 12 years drew a huge crowd on Day 1 of the Ranji Trophy game between Delhi and Railways. Fans started lining up outside Arun Jaitley Stadium as early as 3 AM, excited to see their cricket hero. Kohli played under the young captain Ayush Badoni, who chose to bowl first on the green pitch. Even though Kohli didn’t get to bat on the first day, fans gave him a loud welcome, filling the stadium with around 15,000 supporters.
Rajkumar Sharma, Kohli’s childhood coach, shared his pride on Instagram, saying, “This is your contribution to Indian cricket. Proud of you.” The unexpected number of fans made officials scramble to accommodate everyone. The Delhi and Districts Cricket Association (DDCA) thought about 10,000 people would show up, but they were very wrong!
When the gates opened, fans rushed in, eager to watch Kohli play, especially since entry was free. The DDCA intended to let 6,000 people into the ‘Gautam Gambhir Stand,’ but had to open up the 11,000 capacity ‘Bishan Singh Bedi Stand’ to manage the huge turnout.
A former India player at the event said he had never seen anything like this for a Ranji Trophy match. He noted that in his playing days, hardly anyone cared about domestic cricket, but Kohli’s star power brought many people out.
Adding to the busy atmosphere, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s convoy passed by just as the excitement peaked outside the stadium. Even long-time cricket officials were amazed at the turnout. “I have been involved in Delhi cricket for more than 30 years, but I have never seen such a scene for a Ranji Trophy game,” said DDCA secretary Ashok Sharma. This shows how famous Kohli really is!
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