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Virat Kohli’s served the Ranji Trophy a reminder of his stardom — not for the first time since 2012, when he was just another good cricketer, but perhaps since 1925, the days of CK Nayudu.
Virat Kohli (Picture Credit: PTI)
Everything is breaking news when it’s about Virat Kohli. Whether it’s another pinch invasion, a cheer from the crowd, people coming into a cricket stadium, or chicken versus paneer for gravy at the Arun Jaitley Stadium — all perfectly normal, everyday things draw thousands of eyeballs because it has Kohli’s name with it.
The Ranji Trophy got a taste of it on Thursday (January 30). And no, it wasn’t its first such taste since November 2012 when Kohli last played in the tournament for Delhi against Uttar Pradesh. He wasn’t nearly as big then. It was the Trophy’s first reminder of what stardom is since perhaps the days of Colonel CK Nayudu. who used to pull crowds over his six-hitting and make them do the craziest of acts in the 1920s and 1930s.
Around 10,000 people were expected to throng the Aurn Jaitley Stadium when it was confirmed Kohli is playing against Railways in a dead rubber, with no chance for the home team to qualify for the knockouts. Hundreds lined up outside the ground since 3 am and — though only three stands were said to be opened initially — the ground seemed almost house-full by the end of the first session.
Kohli’s name had been brought up all those years when people said even Sachin Tendulkar played domestic cricket, and more so when Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill and Ravindra Jadeja turned up for the previous round. But none of them had even come close to this level of excitement.
“I have been involved in Delhi cricket for more than 30 years but I have not witnessed such scenes for a Ranji Trophy game. It just shows the Kohli’s popularity is unmatched,” DDCA secretary Ashok Sharma told PTI.
“What made it more challenging was that fans entering the stadium coincided with the VIP movement of PM Modi on the outside roads and as part of his strict security protocol and to maintain order, we were instructed by the police to open another stand for the public,” he revealed.
Railways batted first but the cameras focussed more on Kohli than openers Anchit Yadav and Vivek Singh. As the day went on, Kohli started to give it back to his supporters, engaging with the crowd after every over, sometimes even creating a virtual competition between two sections about which could cheer louder.
Some got too excited and entered the field to touch his feet. One reached him and another didn’t but Kohli took time to ask the security personnel to not harm the invaders on both occasions, which only seemed to make the crowd fall for him even more — the morning slogans of Humara Neta Kaisa Ho, Virat Kohli Jaisa Ho (How Should Be Our Politicians? Like Virat Kohli) had changed to Kohli Ko Bowling Do (Let Kohli bowl!).
Security was already beefed up and put on high alert before the match but after the incidents, the DDCA had to call up even more help to keep the situation under control. In the meantime, interviews with the stadium staff about what the ‘King’ would (and wouldn’t) eat kept the online audience distracted.
The day ended with Delhi at 41/1 and Kohli not required to bat. He’ll need to do that on Friday.
And for sure, his recent form, all the captaincy drama, the upcoming ODIs, his brand, his IPL franchise, his heavily and needlessly trolled decision to move to London will all be forgotten even further.
It’ll be another reminder of all the good, bad and ugly of Indian cricket. Kohli will be Delhi, and Delhi will be Kohli.
