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Ranji Trophy: When Virat Kohli’s aura brought a party-like atmosphere at Arun Jaitley Stadium

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New Delhi, Jan 30: The word ‘Aura’, with its Latin and Ancient Greek origins saying it as another word for wins, is described in the Oxford English Dictionary as a distinctive ambience or quality generated by a person or thing.

If one were to describe what aura meant to cricket fans in New Delhi on January 30, 2025, look no further than them thronging the Arun Jaitley Stadium in heaps to see the talismanic Virat Kohli in action on day one of the Ranji Trophy Group D game between Delhi and Railways.

Since the time Kohli’s confirmation for playing the match arrived, the atmosphere became an electric one, with narrow roads in and around the stadium buzzing with enthusiasm. It slowly brought in the realisation that the Delhi-Railways game was not just going to be another Ranji Trophy game, where empty stands have been permanent features.

Fans were to get free entry, and had to show Aadhaar card to get into the stadium. By Wednesday evening, the broadcast crew had fixed the cameras in stadium’s periphery, after the rights holders raced quickly to get the game on roster.

For two days of the practice sessions, every move of Kohli was captured and talked with awe by media, fans, age-group cricketers and DDCA officials. The anticipation was for 10,000 fans to arrive for day one’s play, but Thursday morning threw a completely different curveball.

From as early as 3am, fans – irrespective of age, gender, height and layers of winter clothing – lined up outside the stadium to get an entry into the venue. By 8am, it snowballed into a packed crowd outside gates 16 and 17, with chants of Kohli and Royal Challengers Bengaluru ruling the roost in their quest to catch a live glimpse of their hero playing in Ranji Trophy after more than 12 years.

Some fans were also young women who had come all alone to catch Kohli’s glimpse and were overwhelmed by men jumping over barriers to join the long crowd outside the two gates, fearing a stampede could happen. There were more fans waiting to come in, but were away from entering the stadium due to the nearby road being closed due to VIP movement (as PM Narendra Modi went to Rajghat to pay tributes to Mahatma Gandhi).

By 9:20am, the Gautam Gambhir Stand was fully packed and gate 18 was thrown open for fans to fill the lower tier of the Bishan Singh Bedi Stand, with the crowd numbers at upwards of 15,000. More security was called in to manage the crowd, and in a jiffy, 100 personnel had reached the venue, even as #ViratKohli dominated the trending charts on social media platforms.

With the anticipation of seeing Kohli’s batting, excited fans in store were in for an anti-climax move, as Delhi captain Ayush Badoni won the toss and elected to bowl first on a green pitch. With Kohli stationed at his usual second slip, before moving on to field at cover, short mid-wicket and mid-on, the chants of ‘Kohli, Kohli’ dominated the stadium’s mood in the batting stalwart’s homecoming.

When Navdeep Saini and Siddhant Sharma scythed through the Railways top order, the countdown was on over fans’ tongues over the wickets Delhi needed more to start their batting innings and see Kohli in action with his usual MRF willow.

Around the 12th over, a fan couldn’t control his excitement and jumped out of the Gautam Gambhir stand to touch Kohli’s feet. When he succeeded in briefly doing that, the crowd was in absolute raptures, even when he was taken away by the security people.

Kohli, standing at the second slip, gestured to the security people to not hit the fan and stretched out his right hand. After that, posters began to surface from the crowds, ranging from fans asking Kohli to not go after deliveries going in fifth and sixth stump lines to asking if he ate his favourite chole bhature at his go-to outlet in younger days.

In the Old Clubhouse stand, the talk amongst DDCA officials, and employee at various departments was about how they had never seen a huge crowd before for a Ranji Trophy game in their time of working at the stadium, with work swiftly going on arranging food for fans for all for days of the game.

Expressions of awe on the fans’ craze for Kohli were also visible on faces of national selector Ajay Ratra and Raj Kumar Sharma, Kohli’s childhood coach. The DDCA people also had some kind words on how Kohli was the humble stalwart, who showed no airs and carried his kit bag all the time, while adding the positivity and much-needed intensity into Delhi’s practice sessions.

The chants of ‘Kohli, Kohli’ grew louder and mobile cameras came out from a section of fans near the fence of the Bishan Singh Bedi Stand whenever he went in and came out of the dressing room housed at Virat Kohli Pavilion.

An old timer at the venue recalled the craze of fans for seeing Kohli live reminded him of the time spectators came in large numbers at the stadium for the Duleep Trophy final clash in March 1979, where Kapil Dev and Sunil Gavaskar were in action for North and West Zones, respectively.

In that game, as the old timer said, Dev moved the ball both ways to pick 7-65 while Gavaskar batted like a champion to be 130 not out, as North Zone eventually prevailed over West Zone to win the competition. Now, 46 years later, Delhi was witness to fans thronging the stadium in large numbers, highlighting the pull Kohli has in Indian cricket.

By 2 pm, as Upendra Yadav led Railways fightback with a superb 95 and Karn Sharma aiding him with a gritty fifty, the enthusiasm in stand dipped a bit, as chances of seeing Kohli bat were rapidly diminishing.

When Delhi’s bouncer ploy got them a breakthrough in the form of Karn’s wicket, Kohli was the first person to appreciate young Yash Dhull for completing a superb relay catch, after previously egging on the crowd to cheer for the home team, who in turn shouted his name loudly.

As the day ended, the fans didn’t get to see Kohli bat but will be back in large numbers on day two to see him weave some magic with his willow. For now, they will be talking about how they were pulled into seeing a Ranji Trophy game, all thanks to the aura Kohli carries and brought a party-like atmosphere to the Arun Jaitley Stadium on a not-so-usual weekday.

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Maharashtra

Mumbai: Traffic Advisory For India Vs England 5th T20I Match At Wankhede Stadium On Feb 2; Check Details

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10 hours ago

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January 30, 2025

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Mumbai, 30 January 2025: The Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) Traffic (Mumbai) has issued a temporary notification to manage traffic movement during the 5th T20I cricket match between India and England at Wankhede Stadium on Sunday, February 2. The traffic arrangements will be in place from 12:00 hrs to 23:55 hrs to ensure smooth vehicular movement and prevent congestion.

Key Traffic Arrangements:

1. No Parking Facility at Wankhede Stadium

Spectators are advised to use public transport, including trains and local transport, as no parking facilities will be available at the stadium and in the vicinity.

2. Parking Restrictions:

Vehicles will not be allowed to park on the following roads:

C Road (North side) from its junction at N.S. Road up to “E” Road.

D Road from N.S. Road junction up to “E” Road.

E Road from “P” Road junction up to “C” Road.

F Road from N.S. Road to “E” Cross Road.

G Road from N.S. Road to “E” Cross Road.

N.S. Road (South and North Bound) from Mafatlal Bath Signal to Air India Junction.

Veer Nariman Road (South and North Bound) from Churchgate Junction to Sundarmal Junction.

Note: Vehicles parked in restricted areas will be subject to e-challan and towing.

3. Changes in Routine Traffic Pattern:

D Road will be one-way (from West to East) for vehicular traffic from its junction at N.S. Road (Marine Drive) towards “E” Road.

E Road will be one-way (South Bound) for all types of vehicular traffic from the junction at D Road towards the junction at C Road.

4. Instructions for Spectators for Easier Access to the Stadium:

Gate 01, 02 & 07 Ticket Holders: Alight at Churchgate Station and walk towards D Road.

Gate 04 & 05A Ticket Holders: Alight at Marine Lines Station and walk towards F Road.

Gate 03 Ticket Holders: Alight at Churchgate Station and walk towards N.S. Road Footpath.

All spectators coming via N.S. Road (Marine Drive) should use the footpath and not walk on the road.

Spectators arriving by car must alight at designated drop points marked on N.S. Road.

To avoid inconvenience, the Mumbai Traffic Police urges spectators to use public transport and follow the designated walking routes to access the stadium. The temporary traffic restrictions and diversions are aimed at ensuring a smooth traffic flow and preventing congestion in the surrounding areas.

The advisory has been issued under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, and will be strictly enforced on match day. For real-time traffic updates, commuters can follow @MTPTrafficUpdates on social media or contact the Mumbai Traffic Police helpline.

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Rohit, Pandya, Bumrah, Arshdeep headline ICC Men’s T20I Team of the Year

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5 days ago

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January 25, 2025

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Dubai, Jan 25: Rohit Sharma has been named captain of the ICC Men’s T20I Team of the Year while Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh also joined their skipper in the star-studded side.

Under Rohit’s leadership, India lifted the T20 World Cup title in Barbados last year after which he announced his retirement from the format. The Indian pace trio was also part of the winning squad.

The experienced opener showcased his batting mastery, amassing 378 runs in 11 matches at an impressive average of 42.00, and vitally at a strike rate of over 160. Rohit had a standout T20 World Cup, making three half-centuries, including an explosive 92 against Australia in the Super Eight stage.

Beyond his batting exploits, Rohit’s astute leadership played a critical role in guiding a young Indian side through pressure-filled moments and his leadership ensured that year would be a memorable one for his country.

Pandya reaffirmed his status as the best all-rounder in the shortest format with a stellar 2024, putting him back atop the ICC Men’s T20I all-rounder rankings.

Scoring 352 runs and picking up 16 wickets in 17 matches, Pandya’s contributions were crucial in a successful year for India that saw them crowned champions of the world in the 20-over format.

The 31-year-old had an impeccable campaign in the USA and West Indies, where he notched up 144 runs with the bat, in addition to grabbing 11 wickets, including bowling India to victory by defending 16 off the final over against the Proteas in the final. The game also saw him shine with his best figures of 3/20 in 2024.

The all-rounder’s best with the bat came against Bangladesh in their group-stage fixture, against whom he scored an unbeaten 50.

India’s pace spearhead Bumrah’s return to T20I cricket in 2024 was nothing short of spectacular, as the right-arm speedster’s precise yorkers and death-over mastery were pivotal in India’s title-winning campaign. He took 15 wickets in eight matches at a jaw-dropping average of 8.26, which made him almost unplayable.

Beyond the World Cup, Bumrah’s consistency across formats reaffirmed his position as one of the premier fast bowlers in world cricket.

Bumrah’s work also means he is in the running as a nominee for the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy as ICC Men’s Cricketer of the Year.

On the other hand, Arshdeep was India’s most prolific bowler in 2024, finishing the year with 36 wickets in 18 matches at an impressive average of 13.50, and ranking him as the eighth-best T20I bowler in the world.

His standout performance came in the T20 World Cup, finishing with the second-most wickets in the tournament with 17 scalps from eight games.

Known for his accuracy and composure, Arshdeep excelled in the death overs, often turning games in India’s favor, and his ability to swing the ball early and execute pin-point yorkers at the end made him a complete package in T20 cricket.

His best with the ball came against co-hosts USA in the T20 World Cup, where he dismantled them with a fiery 4/9 spell.

Arshdeep’s rise in 2024 earned him widespread recognition, including a nomination for the ICC Men’s T20I Cricketer of the Year.

The other members of the ICC Men’s T20I Team of the Year include Australia’s Travis Head (539 runs), England’s Phil Salt (467 runs), Pakistan’s Babar Azam (738 runs), West Indies’ Nicholas Pooran (464 runs), Zimbawe’s Sikandar Raza (573 runs and 24 wickets), Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan (31 wickets) and Sri Lanka’s Wanindu Hasaranga (179 runs and 38 wickets).

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Bumrah, Jaiswal, Jadeja named in ICC Test Team of the Year

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6 days ago

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January 24, 2025

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Dubai, Jan 24: India opener Yashasvi Jaiswal, pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah and all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja have been named in the ICC Men’s Test Team of the Year 2024.

Other than the Indian trio, the team features four players from England, two from New Zealand and one each from Australia and Sri Lanka.

Australia’s Pat Cummins captains the ICC Men’s Test Team of the Year for the second successive year, earning his place thanks to another memorable stint in which he guided his side to the ICC World Test Championship Final, overseeing victories against Pakistan, New Zealand and India, and picking up 37 wickets in his nine Tests at an average of 24.02.

India’s Jaiswal takes a spot atop the order after scoring 1,478 runs during the year at 54.74, which included double-centuries in back-to-back Tests against England in February and a sublime 161 against Australia in Perth. His opening partner is Ben Duckett, one of four Englishmen in the team, who scored over a thousand Test runs in the year (1,149).

Century-makers litter the middle order, comprised of New Zealand’s Kane Williamson, English duo Joe Root and Harry Brook and Sri Lanka’s Kamindu Mendis.

Williamson notched 1,013 runs in 2024 at an average of almost 60, while Brook’s 1,100 calendar runs were headlined by a record knock of 317 in victory over Pakistan in October. Mendis enjoyed a breakthrough year, hitting five centuries and becoming the fastest to 1,000 Test runs in 75 years, while the evergreen Root scored more Test runs (1,556) and recorded more centuries (6) than anyone else.

Jamie Smith earns a spot as the designated wicketkeeper in the Test Team of the Year, six months after making his Test debut for England, thanks to 637 runs in nine Tests which included a maiden hundred against Sri Lanka in August.

Captain Cummins is joined in the bowling group by all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja of India, who boasted 527 runs and 48 wickets in his Test year. Also with 48 wickets is New Zealand’s Matt Henry, the pacer making impressive contributions against Australia, India and England.

Completing the list is top-ranked Test bowler Jasprit Bumrah, who excelled once more with ball in hand, topping the wicket-taking charts with 71 wickets in 2024 at a sensational average of 14.92.

ICC Men’s Test Team of the Year: Yashasvi Jaiswal (Ind), Ben Duckett (Eng), Kane Williamson (NZ), Joe Root (Eng), Harry Brook (Eng), Kamindu Mendis (SL), Jamie Smith (Eng) (wk), Ravindra Jadeja (Ind), Pat Cummins (Aus) (c), Matt Henry (NZ), Jasprit Bumrah (Ind).

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