From Alibaug to Delhi: How Virat Kohli is Preparing for the Ranji Trophy
CricketPanditVirat Kohli has headed to Delhi to join the Delhi Ranji Trophy team after spending nearly a week training in Alibaug, a coastal town near Mumbai. The star batter focused intensely on refining his batting technique with former India batting coach Sanjay Bangar at a Reliance cricket facility in Alibaug.
A video of Kohli training with Bangar, who has previously worked with him at both the Indian team and Royal Challengers Bangalore, recently went viral, leading to speculation that the session took place at a Mumbai nets facility. However, it has now been confirmed that the two were actually working at a property in Alibaug.
Kohli’s decision to consult Bangar for a reassessment of his batting technique isn’t surprising, considering that some of Kohli’s best performances occurred during Bangar’s time as India’s batting coach. Between 2014 and 2019, when Bangar held the position, Kohli amassed 11,767 runs and scored 41 centuries across formats, earning the title of the world’s best batter during that period.
Recently, Kohli’s batting has come under heavy scrutiny due to his declining performance. Despite scoring a century, he managed only 190 runs in five BGT Tests in Australia, which has led to calls for his removal from the team. With skipper Rohit Sharma also struggling, and in fact performing worse, there have been demands for the selectors to drop both senior batters from the national squad.
For now, however, both Kohli and Rohit are secure in their spots on the national team, especially with India set to compete in the Champions Trophy. Yet, Kohli’s recurring mode of dismissal, particularly outside the off stump, has revealed weaknesses in his technique. Before heading to Delhi for the Ranji game, Kohli trained with Bangar for nearly a week and will now represent his home state. Delhi is set to face Railways in an Elite Group D match at Arun Jaitley Stadium starting January 30.
Kohli hasn’t played a Ranji match in over 13 years, with his last appearance in domestic first-class cricket being against Uttar Pradesh in November 2012. However, due to a directive from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), he is now required to participate in the domestic fixture, a decision that many international players have recently followed. While Delhi, currently sitting sixth on the points table, is out of the running for a knockout spot, the match is crucial for Railways, who are in fourth place and still vying for a chance in the knockouts. Beyond the stakes, all eyes will be on Kohli’s batting performance.
