New Delhi [India], January 31: The Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi saw an enthusiastic crowd on the second day of the Ranji Trophy match between Delhi and Railways. With Delhi resuming their innings at 41/1, fans were eagerly waiting for the chance to see Indian cricket icon Virat Kohli step up to bat.
Among the excited spectators was Anurag Singh, a fan who traveled all the way from Bihar just to watch Kohli in action. “I really hope a wicket falls soon so we can see Virat bat,” he said, visibly thrilled. “It’s always been my dream to watch him play live, and now it’s finally happening. There’s only one king—King Kohli! He’ll definitely score a century in the Champions Trophy.”
Abhishek Chauhan, another dedicated supporter, had also attended the match on the opening day. “I was here yesterday too,” he said. “If we see a century from him in this match, it would be incredible.”
For some fans, the experience was even more special. Naveen Negi, attending his first-ever live cricket match, could hardly contain his excitement. “I wanted to come yesterday, but the crowd was too much. This is my first time at a stadium, and I couldn’t have asked for a better occasion than seeing Kohli bat.”
The anticipation in the stadium was palpable, as fans anxiously awaited a Delhi wicket to fall, just so they could watch their hero take the crease. Regardless of the outcome of the innings, Kohli’s mere presence in the domestic match had already created a memorable experience for his fans.
The excitement at the stadium was a rare sight for a domestic match, with over 15,000 fans in attendance, according to ESPNCricinfo. Additional gates were opened, and extra security was deployed to handle the crowd. On Day 1, a fan breached security and ran onto the field to meet Kohli. With Delhi’s bowlers, Navdeep Saini and Siddhant Sharma, having Railways in trouble at 21/3, the fan managed to evade security, reach Kohli, and touch his feet. Security quickly intervened, escorting the intruder off the field. Kohli, however, requested that the fan be treated gently and asked security not to be too harsh.