New Delhi: Virat Kohli’s participation in the Ranji Trophy match against Railways marks his return to India’s top first-class tournament after 13 years. Additionally, he will be playing for the Delhi team once more, a team that played a significant role in his development as a player and contributed to his status as one of the best in the world for an extended time.
This marks the first occasion that Kohli will represent Delhi in any format since the 2013 Challenger Trophy, where he captained the Delhi team to the final, ultimately losing to India B by 50 runs at the Holkar Stadium in Indore.
Kohli faced significant challenges on his journey to the top and had to work hard to earn a spot on the team. The former Indian captain once shared that he was removed from the state U-14 team at the last moment due to ‘compensation’ concerns. Additionally, the cricket star from Delhi disclosed that his father declined to offer any bribe.
“I was selected for the U-14 Delhi team and then I was dropped at 1:00 AM because of some complications…, you know how and what happens at the state levels, someone was preferred over me because of some compensations that were done.
“The same was offered to my father as well. That if you can (pay for selection), maybe he (Kohli) can get into the team after two games. My father straightaway said ‘I’m not gonna pay a single penny to make him play. If he can play on his talent, so be it. If not, it’s not meant for him’,” Kohli said during a conversation with Dinesh Karthik for SKY Sports.
In 2006, after the death of his father, Kohli demonstrated remarkable dedication by participating in a Ranji Trophy match for Delhi just hours later. He scored 90 runs during the game before hurrying back home to attend the last rites, marking a significant moment in Indian cricket history.
Kohli is considered one of the greatest cricketers of all time, ranking fourth in terms of total runs scored in international cricket history. With 81 centuries across all formats, he trails only Sachin Tendulkar for the most centuries achieved at the elite level.
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