Mohammed Kaif performed towards Virat Kohli throughout his final Ranji look in 2012.© PTI
Star batter Virat Kohli is taking part in his first Ranji Trophy match in over 12 years with Delhi at the moment taking up Railways on the Arun Jaitley Stadium. Many followers had arrived on the venue within the early hours, hoping to safe the absolute best view of the previous India captain. Kohli’s final look within the event got here towards Uttar Pradesh in 2012, a match that Delhi misplaced by six runs in Ghaziabad. Former India batter Mohammed Kaif, who performed in that recreation, recalled the competition forward of Kohli’s return.
Kaif prompt Kohli has the weak spot he confirmed throughout that recreation towards UP, getting caught whereas poking the ball exterior the off-stump. For the unversed, Bhuvneshwar Kumar dismissed Kohli on each the ocassions in that match. Kohli was caught behind eight out of 9 instances within the collection towards Australia.
“The sport had all the large stars taking part in. For Uttar Pradesh, there was Suresh Raina, Kaif, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Praveen Kumar. Speaking about Delhi, they’d Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Virat Kohli, Ashish Nehra, Ishant Sharma. I felt it was a testing time and I ought to keep alert as Kohli will nick one quickly, and it occurred when he went for a drive. I couldn’t imagine that our match towards Delhi in 2012 was Kohli’s final Ranji Trophy match. The weak spot he had earlier continues to be there. The best way Bhuvneshwar Kumar obtained him out twice, I can not imagine that the identical weak spot continues to be there. The best way he was getting out in Australia, he obtained out in the identical method in that Ranji match,” Kaif stated in a video posted on X.
Kaif, nonetheless, lauded Kohli for his achievements and hoped that he can regain his purple patch in the course of the upcoming Champions Trophy.
“Regardless of having weak spot towards outside-off-stump balls resulting from his tight backside hand, the stature he has achieved is commendable. He has 50 centuries in ODI cricket. Virat Kohli will get some apply (on his Ranji Trophy return); and if he scores runs and will get again to type, it’s going to profit India so much. So we pray that he does nicely and spends a while on the crease. We hope he will get the type of success he obtained within the 2023 ODI World Cup (scored 765 runs) within the 2025 Champions Trophy as nicely,” he added.
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