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India's superstar batter Virat Kohli's Ranji Trophy return didn't go as planned, with the batter only scoring 6 runs off 15 balls in the first innings of Delhi vs Railways match. Kohli was undone by Railways pacer Himanshu Sangwan who delivered a peach of a delivery to send the batter's off-stump flying. The dismissal meant that Kohli added another underwhelming knock to his poor form. While there's no denying that Virat has been going through a rough patch for a long time, it's his fanbase that left former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin more disappointing. Ashwin, referring to a comment from a fan, lost his cool and decided to teach a cricketing lesson.
Kohli's Ranji Trophy return confirmed his intention to continue Test cricket despite the 'outside noise' wanting him to move on. Ashwin, however, feels the kind of crowd Kohli pulled in at Delhi's Arun Jaitley stadium should be there for every Ranji Trophy match.
"It's a great thing when it comes to Virat Kohli. He is extremely motivated. I know that. His intention is to play Test cricket and do well. I actually think he has a lot left in the tank. But all said and done, the crowd that turned up, it was great. Such crowds should be there for every Ranji Trophy match," Ashwin said on his YouTube channel 'Ash Ki Baat'.
Ashwin, referring to the 'Ranji Trophy is blessed with Kohli's return' post on X (formerly Twitter), blasted the fan, highlighting how even the legendary Sachin Tendulkar played the Ranji Trophy whenever he could.
"I saw one tweet saying 'Ranji Trophy is blessed'. I would just say, pay some attention. Do you even know the history of the Ranji Trophy? It has been going on for so many years. It has been a premier tournament," said Ashwin.
"Sachin Tendulkar, who is a legendary cricketer, used to play the Ranji Trophy at all times. Players benefit from playing in the tournament. For cricket, players are not important, but for players, cricket is very important," he added.
Ashwin also had some nice words to say about Himanshu Sangwan, the Railways pacer who shot to stardom by dismissing Virat, saying he isn't an 'ordinary bowler'.
"Himanshu Sangwan delivered a phenomenal ball. He is not an ordinary Ranji Trophy bowler. He is a tested performer. He is a gold-dust performer. He bowled an exceptional delivery. There was a gap between pad and bat, it was a class delivery. The ball deserved a wicket," said Ashwin.
"I saw him (Virat Kohli) batting. His bat was coming down a little faster. Sometimes, you have to adjust to the speed. When you face 140-145kmph bowlers regularly, you need to adjust to the pace. Time in the middle, nothing can beat it," he added.
"The fandom and love that Virat Kohli gets is enviable. I am so happy for Virat that he has these sorts of fans. Totally happy for Virat Kohli," he added.