Former Indian captain and talismanic batter Virat Kohli is expected to mark his return to domestic cricket in the upcoming Duleep Trophy, slated to take place on September 5. The first-class cricket tournament will take place just two weeks before the first Test of the two-match series against Bangladesh, starting on September 19.
Team India players are currently on break following the humiliating three-match ODI series defeat against Sri Lanka. For the first time in 27 years, the Men in Blue lost the ODI series against Sri Lanka. However, Team India clinched the three-match T20I series.
Following the ODI series against defeat, Team India will shift their focus towards the upcoming tour of Bangladesh, which includes two Tests and three T20Is. However, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has directed certain players to play domestic cricket before the home series against Bangladesh.
It has been reported that Ravichandran Ashwin, Suryakumar Yadav, Shubman Gill, KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant are expected to feature in the first round of the Duldeep Trophy. Team India captain Rohit Sharma and star batter Virat Kohli have been asked to take on their participation in the Duldeep Trophy.
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As per the reports Rohit and Kohli are likely to return to Indian domestic cricket in the first-class cricket tournament. Amid the anticipation over the star batters returning to domestic fold, the 14-year-old tweet of Kohli has been making rounds on social media.
On January 25, 2010, Virat Kohli took to his X handle (formerly Twitter) and wrote, "Wish me luck for Duleep Trophy....."
Virat Kohli is set to return to domestic cricket after a gap of 12 long years. Ever since his rise in international cricket, Kohli has never returned to domestic circuit. The 35-year-old's last appearance in domestic cricket was in 2012 Ranji Trophy for Delhi against Uttar Pradesh. He played the only game for Delhi in that Ranji Trophy season on the back of the successful home series against New Zealand, where he scored a century and two fifties.
In the first-class cricket, Virat Kohli has 6393 runs, including 21 centuries and 20 half-centuries, at an average of 58.11 in 82 matches. The legendary batter has been one of the consistent performers at domestic level before making his rapid strides at the international level.
In international cricket, Kohli has amassed 26492 runs, including 80 centuries and 140 fifties, at an average of 53.35 in 533 matches.
