Virat Kohli’s Ranji Trophy Return Ends In Early Dismissal, Disappointed Fans Leave Stadium | WATCH

Virat Kohli's much-anticipated return to Delhi for the Ranji Trophy did not go as planned, as the star Indian batter failed to make an impact in the first innings.

The 36-year-old was dismissed for just 6 runs off 15 deliveries, with Railways pacer Himanshu Sangwan sending his stumps cartwheeling early in the innings.

Kohli had shown a glimpse of his class with a brilliant straight drive for a boundary just before his dismissal.

However, attempting a similar shot again, he was deceived by Sangwan, who adjusted his length to castle the Indian batting great. The dismissal left fans, who had turned up in huge numbers to watch Kohli play, heartbroken.

In fact, Kohli's dismissal prompted many fans to leave the stadium shortly after.

The Arun Jaitley Stadium was packed to the brim on the opening day of Delhi's Ranji Trophy clash, with fans drawn by the sheer magnetism of Virat Kohli. True to his style, Kohli kept the crowd engaged throughout the day, waving and interacting with supporters.

Such was the excitement that fans had begun queuing outside the stadium as early as 3 AM on Day 1, eager to catch a glimpse of the cricket icon.

With Kohli failing to deliver in the first innings, all eyes will now be on his second innings. The passionate fans who filled the stands will be hoping for a memorable performance when the star batter returns to the crease.

Kohli's Struggles with Form

Kohli joined Delhi's Ranji squad amid a challenging phase with the bat. Over the previous season, he managed only one century and failed to score a single half-century in 10 Test matches.

His lone century came in the opening Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Perth, but he struggled thereafter, scoring less than 100 runs combined in the remaining four matches of the series.

The underwhelming performances from Kohli and the broader Indian batting lineup led the BCCI to mandate that international players participate in the Ranji Trophy.

Ahead of the match, Kohli trained with Delhi's Ranji team on Tuesday and Wednesday and took the field on Day 1 under the captaincy of Ayush Badoni.