Virat Kohli declines Delhi Ranji Team captaincy, backs Ayush Badoni to lead

By Vipul Kashyap
New Delhi [India], January 28 (ANI): Virat Kohli was reportedly approached by the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) to captain the Delhi Ranji team in their upcoming match against Railways. However, the star batter turned down the offer, expressing his desire to let young Ayush Badoni continue in the leadership role, according to a DDCA source.
Speaking to ANI, the source revealed, "We asked Virat if he would be willing to take up the captaincy for the game against Railways. However, he refused, saying, 'Let Ayush Badoni continue. I don't want to lead.'"
Kohli's decision reflects his support for the younger player and his willingness to give the next generation an opportunity to grow.
Kohli joined Delhi's practice session on Tuesday ahead of their Elite Group D Ranji Trophy match against Railways, scheduled for Thursday at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. Kohli, returning to domestic cricket after a significant hiatus, was spotted honing his skills in the nets as he prepares for the much-anticipated encounter.
Earlier, Delhi coach Sarandeep Singh confirmed that Virat would join the Delhi squad for their Ranji Trophy match against Railways at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.
Virat's participation in the domestic circuit comes after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) adopted a firmer stance on the participation of Indian international stars in domestic cricket.
Over the past few days, photos and videos of Virat working with former India and Royal Challengers Bangalore batting coach Sanjay Bangar have surfaced on social media.
The final round of Ranji Trophy matches will conclude on February 2, just four days before India begins their three-match bilateral ODI series against England in Nagpur. Virat has accumulated 11,479 runs in 155 First-Class matches, with an average of 48.23 and a strike rate of 55.96.
In addition to Virat, experienced wicketkeeper-batter KL Rahul has been included in Karnataka's squad for their crucial Ranji Trophy fixture against table-toppers Haryana in Bengaluru. The 32-year-old was named in the squad subject to fitness, but according to ESPNcricinfo, KL Rahul has been cleared by the BCCI medical panel. An elbow niggle had kept him out of their previous match against Punjab.
Rahul's return to domestic cricket means Karnataka will head into the game with a full-strength squad. Devdutt Padikkal and Prasidh Krishna, who travelled to Australia for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, have also been included in the squad.
If Rahul is included in the playing XI, the match against Haryana will mark his first Ranji Trophy appearance in almost five years. His last match was in the 2019-20 semi-final against Bengal at Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
Young batter Riyan Parag has also been declared fit for the upcoming round of Ranji Trophy matches after recovering from a shoulder injury. He will captain Assam in their final league fixture against Saurashtra in Rajkot, Gujarat. (ANI)