New Delhi [India], January 31: The Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi was packed with excited fans on the second day of the Ranji Trophy match between Delhi and Railways, and the reason was clear—Virat Kohli.
Among the crowd was Karan Kaushal, a passionate Kohli fan who happens to resemble the Indian cricket star. “I’m so excited to be here today, and I’m confident Kohli will score a hundred,” Kaushal said. “For the last ten years, people have been telling me I look like him. I’ve been keeping this beard for just three years, and I think today we’ll see him stick to the basics and play some beautiful shots.”
Another Kohli lookalike also shared his excitement, commenting, “People often mistake me for Virat Kohli, and it’s always fun. But beyond that, I’m really looking forward to seeing his signature cover drive today. I believe senior players playing in domestic cricket is vital—it motivates young players and strengthens the game as a whole.”
Regardless of whether Kohli scores a century or not, his mere presence at the match had already turned the Ranji Trophy fixture into a memorable event for the fans. The anticipation was palpable as the crowd eagerly awaited a Delhi wicket to fall, just so they could watch their idol take the crease.
The excitement at the stadium was a rare sight for a domestic match, with more than 15,000 fans in attendance, according to ESPNCricinfo. Additional gates were opened, and extra security was deployed to handle the large crowd. On Day 1, an incident occurred when a fan breached security and rushed onto the field to meet Kohli. With Delhi’s bowlers, Navdeep Saini and Siddhant Sharma, having Railways in trouble at 21/3, the fan evaded security and reached Kohli, touching his feet. Security quickly intervened, escorting the intruder off the field. Kohli, however, requested them to treat the fan gently and avoid any harsh actions.