Rishabh Pant To Captain Delhi On Ranji Trophy Return; Kohli's Availability Uncertain

NEW DELHI: The final phase of the group stage of the new season's Ranji Trophy (2024/25) will get underway from 23 January, with Delhi entering must-win territory in their next clash against Saurashtra. In the opening half of the season, team could only manage a single win in five matches, while three more games resulted in a draw. In a major development for Delhi, Rishabh Pant is expected to captain the team for the Saurashtra fixture, though there has been no update on Virat Kohli's availability.

According to a reportS, the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) is likely to announce their squad for the next Ranji Trophy match on Friday, January 17, marking Pant's return to the tournament after a seven-year break. His last Ranji Trophy appearance was during the 2017-2018 season finale against Vidarbha.

"A selection meeting will happen in the afternoon tomorrow and it's likely that Rishabh Pant will be the skipper for the away game versus Saurashtra," a senior DDCA official told the national daily.

Kohli was named in the probable list for Delhi's upcoming two group games, but he has yet to confirm his availability for the tournament.

The absence of prominent Indian Test players from domestic cricket has generated considerable debate, especially after the national team’s recent struggles, including a historic 0-3 series loss at home to New Zealand. Kohli, who came under criticism, did score a century in the Perth opener against Australia in November, but managed just 90 runs in the remaining innings, largely due to his difficulties outside the off-stump.

Delhi has one more group game after the Saurashtra match, with their final group match against Railways scheduled to begin on January 30.

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