Amid buzz around Virat Kohli’s Ranji participation, a look at star batters’ performance in marquee domestic red-ball tournament

New Delhi [India], September 25 (ANI): Star India batter Virat Kohli has been named as one of the probables for Delhi team ahead of the Ranji Trophy competition starting from October 11 onwards. The availability of one of the best batters in the world for domestic red-ball cricket comes as an exciting news for fans of the batter who has struggled with form this year despite showing some flashes of brilliance.

The premier domestic red-ball tournament in Indian cricket, responsible for rise of several Indian stars, including Virat himself, starts from October 11. Delhi will be playing Chhattisgarh in their Elite Plate Group D match on the same date.

The list of probables also includes international/Indian Premier League (IPL) stars Rishabh Pant, Navdeep Saini, Ayush Badoni, Anuj Rawat, Yash Dhull, etc. Pant recently featured in the Duleep Trophy ahead of the India’s home series against Bangladesh. In the first Chennai Test against Bangladesh, Pant scored a magnificent century and returned to the Test side with a bang.

Virat’s presence among the probables is a big news considering the batters’ highly limited apperances in domestic cricket over the years.

The 35-year-old’s last appearance in Ranji was back in November 2012 against Uttar Pradesh, in which he was dismissed for 14 and 42 runs in both innings by p

acer Bhuvneshwar Kumar. In 146 first-class matches, Virat has scored 11,120 runs at an average of 49.86, with 36 centuries and 38 fifties and a best score of 254*.

This Ranji Trophy fixture on October 11 takes place ahead of the first Test between India and New Zealand in Bengaluru from October 16 onwards and could offer Virat some much needed game time in home conditions as he struggles to gain form this year.

As speculation and buzz over Virat’s participation in the tournament raises, a question comes into the mind about Virat’s success in Ranji Trophy.

The 2006/07 Ranji season was Virat’s first ever appearance in the competition. The batter did rather decently, scoring 257 runs in six matches and nine innings at an average of 36.71, with a best score of 90 and two half-centuries.

The next season in 2007/08 was statistically a better outing for Virat, as he scored 373 runs in five matches and eight innings at an average of 53.28, with two centuries and a best score of 169. But inconsistency was a big issue for the batter as he managed 98 runs in six innings in which he did not cross the fifty-run mark.

The 2008-09 was a solid season for Virat, as he scored 174 runs in five innings and four games, an average of 34.80, with two fifties and a best score of 83.

The next two seasons in 2009/10 and 2010/11 were breakthrough seasons for the batter, which combined with his brilliant international white-ball performances, helped him earn the Indian Test cap in 2011. In 2009/10 season, he scored 374 runs in three matches and six innings at an average of 93.50, with a century and two fifties. His best score was 145. He followed this with 339 runs in four matches and six innings at an average of 56.50, with two centuries and a best score of 173.

The 2012/13 season saw him play just one game against UP, in which he scored total of 56 runs.

Overall in his Ranji career, Virat has scored 1,573 runs at an average of 50.77, with five centuries and six fifties in 23 matches.

Fans would no doubt love to catch Virat in domestic red-ball cricket once again as he struggles to gain his top form this year.

In both innings of the first Test against Bangladesh, Kohli delivered poor scores of 6 and 17. While in the first innings, he chased an outside off stump delivery by Hasan Mahmud, in the second innings, he fell victim to a wrong leg-before-wicket decision. Having chosen not to review it, the Ultraedge discovered the bat making contact with the ball, which would have ruled Virat not out had he opted for a review.

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Virat is having a poor run of form across all formats this year. In 15 matches and 17 innings this year, he has scored just 319 runs at a sub-par average of 18.76, with just one half-century to his name and a best score of 76 made during the T20 World Cup final against South Africa.

The period of 2020s has not been kind to Virat in white colours. In 30 Tests played since the start of 2020, he has scored just 1,669 runs at an average of just 32.72, with just two centuries and eight fifties in 52 innings. His best score is 186.

In five Tests and eight innings during the 2023-25 ICC World Test Championship cycle, Virat has scored 392 runs at an average of 49.00, with a century and two fifties. His best score is 121. In order to secure their maiden WTC title, India would no doubt need Virat to fire in coming matches against Bangladesh, New Zealand, and Australia, which will determine if they will make the hat-trick of WTC finals, having lost to NZ and Australia so far in the title clash.