Virat Kohli is playing in India's premier domestic first class competition for the first time since 2012 and the former India captain will be keen to shake off the poor form he has been suffering from min red ball cricket.

Such was Kohli's aura that a strong crowd of over 10,000 remained at the stadium despite Railways batting first.

Focus will be on Virat Kohli as the former India captain returns to domestic cricket after more than 12 years. The Delhi vs Railways match starts on 9:30 AM IST.

A massive crowd gathered outside the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Thursday as the Delhi cricket team took on Railways in their Ranji Trophy encounter. The frenzy, however, was not just for the domestic clash but largely for one man--Virat Kohli.

Virat Kohli’s long-awaited return to the Ranji Trophy sparked massive excitement in Delhi, with thousands of fans queuing up outside the Arun Jaitley Stadium from as early as 5 AM. The chants of ‘RCB,

The last Ranji Trophy match to receive live coverage was the clash between defending champions Mumbai and Jammu & Kashmir.

Virat Kohli is set to make a highly anticipated return to the Ranji Trophy after nearly 13 years. Kohli is using Delhi’s clash against Railways as preparation for the upcoming Champions Trophy. The last time Kohli played in the prestigious domestic tournament was back in 2012 under the captaincy of Virender Sehwag.

Preparations were being made to telecast the game, more stands than usual were being readied for fans, and players on both sides were excited to be part of his first Ranji Trophy game since 2012

Ahead of his return to Ranji Trophy, Virat Kohli had an intense training session with the Delhi squad and interacted with the players during the practice session. It was reported that Kohli declined captaincy offer by Delhi selection committee and agreed to play under the leadership of Ayush Badoni.