Indian cricket legend Virat Kohli, who last played for Delhi in the Ranji Trophy in 2012, is likely to feature in next week’s domestic tournament. According to the latest reports, Virat Kohli is expected to join the Delhi Ranji squad in Rajkot for their next match against Saurashtra.

It is uncertain whether Virat Kohli will play in the upcoming Ranji Trophy match. With India playing their next Test match against England after a gap of five months, Kohli has been under scrutiny for his poor performance in the recently concluded Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25 in Australia.

Virat Kohli to join Delhi squad in Rajkot and train with the team

Virat Kohli is yet to officially confirm his availability for the match against Saurashtra, scheduled for January 23, Cricbuzz reported on Thursday. However, the 36-year-old batsman “will join the Delhi team in Rajkot and train even if he does not play in matches and will be with the team.”

Meanwhile, wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant has confirmed that he is available for the upcoming matches and he is likely to lead the team. DDCA secretary Ashok Sharma said the squad will be announced on Friday but they are yet to receive any confirmation from Kohli regarding his participation.

“We will announce the line-up tomorrow (Friday) and we have not heard from Virat yet,” DDCA secretary Ashok Sharma was quoted as saying by Cricbuzz.

Delhi faces must-win situation ahead of Ranji Trophy match against Saurashtra

Delhi are in a tough spot in the Ranji Trophy and they must win their next two games to ensure they reach the knockout stages. Delhi are currently fourth in Group D with 14 points from five games, behind Tamil Nadu and Chandigarh who both have 19 points.

The team’s next match will be an away match against Saurashtra FC and then a home match against Railways. The addition of Rishabh Pant can strengthen Delhi’s squad. Victories in both games are crucial to keeping their hopes of a knockout spot in the red-ball tournament alive.

Will Ravindra Jadeja, KL Rahul be available for the upcoming Ranji Trophy match?

Ravindra Jadeja is likely to feature for Saurashtra in the Ranji Trophy match against Delhi. Jadeja, who struggled with the ball in the last three Tests of the Border Trophy in Gavaskar, postponed his return from Australia to spend time with his family.

The Saurashtra Cricket Association (SCA) remains hopeful of his inclusion and an official said that while he has been given a chance to play, no confirmation has been received yet.

“There is a chance, but we have not heard from him at this stage,” an SCA official said.

KL Rahul’s availability for Karnataka’s upcoming Elite Group C match against Punjab at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru is uncertain. KSCA president Raghuram Bhat confirmed that the association had no information about Rahul’s involvement.

India’s top batsman Shubman Gill will represent Punjab while players like Prasidh Krishna and Devdutt Padikkal are expected to feature in the Karnataka XI in the lineup.

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