Virat Kohli’s return to the Ranji Trophy was not as he would have liked, as he could only muster 6 runs. His innings lasted just 15 balls. But his team Delhi won by an innings and 19 runs at the Arun Jaitley Stadium against Railways.
Former India Cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin welcomed Kohli back to India’s top domestic tournament after 12 years. The experienced spinner feels Kohli has much more to give and can continue to serve Indian cricket for years. But Ashwin did not forget to take a dig at some fans who sarcastically claimed that the Ranji Trophy was “blessed” just because Kohli decided to play after a long gap.
Virat Kohli’s return to Ranji Trophy after 12 years attracted more than 10,000 spectators in the first two days for Delhi vs Railways match. However, his much-awaited comeback could not prove ideal, as he managed only 6 runs and continued to struggle against deliveries outside off-stump.
Speaking on his youtube channel, Ash Ki Baat, Ravichandran Ashwin believes Kohli has still much more to offer in Test cricket. He also points out how the presence of Kohli attracted massive crowd, but said that such support should be there for all Ranji Trophy matches, not just when a star player is involved.
“It’s a great thing when it comes to Virat Kohli. He is extremely motivated. I know that. His intention is to play Test cricket and do well. I actually think he has a lot left in the tank. But all said and done, the crowd that turned up, it was great. Such crowds should be there for every Ranji Trophy match,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel ‘Ash Ki Baat’.
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Ravichandran Ashwin said that the importance of the Ranji Trophy did not depend on the presence of a marquee player. He reminded everyone that stalwarts like Sachin Tendulkar had regularly played in the tournament and it helped in the grooming of players. Ashwin further said that even though cricket would go on without any individual, players require such domestic tournaments like the Ranji Trophy to improve and succeed.
“I saw one tweet saying ‘Ranji Trophy is blessed’. I would just say, pay some attention. Do you even know the history of the Ranji Trophy? It has been going on for so many years. It has been a premier tournament,” said Ashwin.
“Sachin Tendulkar, who is a legendary cricketer, used to play the Ranji Trophy at all times. Players benefit from playing in the tournament. For cricket, players are not important, but for players, cricket is very important,” he added.
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