Virat Kohli's off-stump shattered on Ranji Trophy return, out for 6; stunned silence, heartbroken fans leave stadium

Virat Kohli's homecoming for Delhi at the Ranji Trophy didn't go as expected, as the Indian batter failed to make a mark in the first innings. The 36-year-old batter was dismissed for just 6 off 15 deliveries, with Railways pacer Himanshu Sangwan sending his stump cartwheeling early in the innings.

Kohli had hit a brilliant straight drive for a boundary in the delivery prior to his dismissal, and attempted a similar shot again. However, Sangwan pulled his length and managed to deceive Kohli, castling the Indian batting great to shatter the fans' hopes, who came in huge numbers to watch the batter play.

Kohli's dismissal was immediately followed by fans leaving the stadium.

Watch the dismissal here:

Fans thronged the Arun Jaitley Stadium in staggering numbers on the opening day of Delhi’s Ranji Trophy clash, drawn by the sheer aura of Virat Kohli. In his trademark style, the Indian superstar engaged with the crowd throughout the day, keeping their excitement alive.

The frenzy had reached such heights that supporters had begun queuing outside the venue as early as 3 AM before Day 1, eager for a glimpse of their cricketing idol.

With Kohli failing to make a mark in their first innings, the focus now shifts to Kohli’s next turn at the crease. The passionate supporters who packed the stands will be hoping for a defining knock when the star batter returns to bat in the second innings.

Kohli's poor form

Kohli joined Delhi's Ranji squad on the back of a torrid time with the bat. The batter scored only one century, and failed to register a single half-century throughout 10 Tests during the previous season. His lone century came in the opening Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Perth, but he couldn't build on the momentum, managing less than 100 runs in total across the remaining four matches of the series.

The poor performance – not just from Kohli, but the entire Indian batting order – prompted the BCCI to mandate the international players to take part in the Ranji Trophy.

Kohli trained with Delhi's Ranji team across Tuesday and Wednesday earlier this week, and also took the field under the captaincy of Ayush Badoni on Day 1.