Virat Kohli to return to Ranji Trophy after 13 years, to start training with Delhi team from today

New Delhi: Virat Kohli is set to make his long-awaited return to the Ranji Trophy after a 13-year gap, marking his first appearance in the domestic tournament since 2012.

The 36-year-old batsman will train with the Delhi squad on January 28, ahead of their final group-stage fixture against Railways, scheduled to begin on January 30 at Arun Jaitley Stadium.

Delhi coach Sarandeep Singh has confirmed Kohli’s availability for the match, which will be a key fixture in the team’s final push for a strong finish. This follows India’s 3-1 defeat in the Border-Gavaskar series against Australia.

In the days leading up to his return, photos and videos surfaced of Kohli working with former India batting coach Sanjay Bangar at a training facility in Mumbai, showing his readiness to get back into form.

Kohli had previously missed Delhi's Ranji Trophy match against Saurashtra due to a neck injury, but he is now set to feature in the upcoming encounter.

With the final round of the Ranji Trophy concluding by February 2, Kohli's return comes just in time for India’s three-match ODI series against England, beginning February 6.

Kohli is also part of the squad for the ICC Champions Trophy, scheduled to start on February 19.