India, Dec 24: Star India batter Virat Kohli marked his return to domestic List A cricket on Wednesday, turning out for Delhi in their Vijay Hazare Trophy Group D encounter against Andhra at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru.
Delhi captain Rishabh Pant won the toss and chose to field, but the decision backfired as Andhra produced a solid batting display. Riding on a composed century from Ricky Bhui, Andhra reached 206 for 3 after 39 overs, firmly placing themselves in a strong position.
Bhui anchored the innings with a well-paced 101 off 89 balls, combining authority with control as Delhi’s bowlers struggled to find breakthroughs. Supported well by the middle order, his knock kept Andhra on track for a competitive total on a batting-friendly surface.
Kohli, playing his first domestic List A match in several years, remained active in the field, spending much of the innings stationed at cover. His presence drew considerable attention, with heightened security arrangements at the venue and fans gathering outside in hopes of catching a glimpse of the former India captain.
Delhi fielded a formidable line up featuring Kohli, Pant, Ayush Badoni, Priyansh Arya, Nitish Rana and experienced pacer Ishant Sharma. The match has gained added significance following the BCCI’s recent directive requiring centrally contracted players to represent their state teams when not on international duty. Kohli’s appearance for Delhi, alongside Rohit Sharma’s return for Mumbai, has reignited interest in domestic cricket.
Led by Nitish Kumar Reddy, Andhra have looked organised and disciplined throughout the innings and will aim to capitalise in the final overs to post a challenging total against a high-profile Delhi side.