It was a scene straight out of a Bollywood homecoming. At precisely 9 AM, the jet-black Porsche slid through the Virender Sehwag Gate of Feroz Shah Kotla, announcing the return of Delhi’s prodigal son, Virat Kohli. After 12 long years, the King of World Cricket was back in his Ranji whites, and what followed was a side of nostalgia for Kohli.
Special food request by Virat Kohli?
For someone whose diet is a masterclass in discipline, Kohli’s return to domestic cricket offered a rare moment of indulgence. “Woh badlaa nahi hain. Usko chhole-poori pasand the aur humne mangaake rakhha thaa. Usne bola chole puri nahi khawoonga (He loves chhole poori; we made arrangements for him but he said he didn’t want it),” a senior DDCA (Delhi and Districts Cricket Association) official told PTI. Instead, the Delhi lad opted for a simpler comfort food from his younger days: kadhi chawal. Famous North Indian food, it is just a curd curry rice combo.
After a long practice session, Kohli joined the team for a meal of kadhi chawal, sharing laughs and memories with his Delhi teammates, who would surely feel motivated as well after his presence. It was in November 2012 when Kohli last played a Ranji Trophy game. Quite a lot of things have changed since then. He had 15 centuries back then. But now he comes after topping all the batting charts and has 81 centuries to his name.
Kohli loved training session at Arun Jaitley Stadium
After a spirited warm-up, which included sprints down the right flank and football banter, Kohli hit the nets. Young players like Ayush Badoni and Harsh Tyagi were visibly awestruck. Kohli, ever the mentor, encouraged them to focus on their game before he got down to business. His net session was vintage Kohli—fierce pull shots, meticulous back-foot play, and an emphasis on timing over brute force.
As spinners Harsh Tyagi and Sumit Mathur tried their best to trouble him, Kohli worked on expanding his range, particularly square of the wicket. The net bowlers, including Navdeep Saini, gave it their all, but Kohli looked in great touch.
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