NEW DELHI: Superstar Indian cricketer Virat Ko­h­li flopped on his first dom­estic cricket match in more than a decade Friday to the dismay of thousands who turned out to see him play.

International stars were ordered by India’s cricket board to return to domestic matches in a bid to lift their form following a soul-searching 3-1 series defeat in Australia.

Kohli, 36, and other team titans have made regular appearances in the lucrative Indian Premier League (IPL), but this week mar­ked his return to the Ranji Trophy — the country’s premier red-ball tournament — after a 12-year absence.

He strode in to bat for home team Delhi on day two of their match against Railways to roars and chants of his name from the stands.

After a circumspect start and a few play-and-misses on the off-side, Kohli drove fast bowler Hima­nshu Sangwan for a rasping straight drive to bring the crowd to its feet.

But the joy was short­lived as the next ball went straight through his defence and the off-stump went cartwheeling with him on six.

Dejected fans began making their way to the exit even as Kohli was walking back to the pavilion, and the stadium numbers soon dwindled from thousands to less than a few hundred.

Indian skipper Rohit Sharma had also faltered on his return to Ranji cricket last week when he scored just three off 19 balls for Mumbai.

Rohit and fellow opener Yashasvi Jaiswal opted out of this week’s match.

Both Kohli and Rohit have faced severe scrutiny over their recent batting struggles in Australia, with questions raised on their future in Test cricket.

India’s next Test assignment will be their tour to England for five matches starting in June.

Published in Dawn, February 1st, 2025