Synopsis
Rajeev Shukla, a BCCI vice president, met India's cricket star Virat Kohli and Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar in New Delhi. The meeting was shared on social media, highlighting Kohli's return to domestic cricket after a long absence, which drew significant public interest at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.Key Takeaways
- Rajeev Shukla and Virat Kohli met Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar in New Delhi.
- Kohli returned to domestic cricket after 12 years.
- The Ranji Trophy match saw an overwhelming turnout of spectators.
- Security measures were heightened due to enthusiastic fans.
- Kohli's popularity is unmatched in Indian cricket.
New Delhi, Jan 30 (NationPress) Rajya Sabha MP Rajeev Shukla had an engaging meeting with Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar alongside cricketing sensation Virat Kohli in the capital city. The prominent BCCI official took to social media to share a snapshot of their gathering.
Shukla, serving as the vice president of the BCCI, uploaded a photo on X, captioned, "Delighted to meet the esteemed Vice President of India Shri Dhankar ji. Happy to be accompanied by @imVkohli."
This meeting occurred prior to the ongoing season's Ranji Trophy Elite Group D match featuring Railways at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, which commenced on Thursday.
This match signifies Kohli's return to the domestic cricket scene after a 12-year hiatus. The last time Kohli played in a Ranji Trophy game for Delhi was against Uttar Pradesh in Ghaziabad back in November 2012. Adhering to the BCCI's directive for Indian players to engage in domestic cricket when feasible, Kohli participated in the Ranji Trophy.
Kohli's involvement in this match drew an unprecedented number of fans to the Arun Jaitley Stadium. Security personnel were stationed near the boundary ropes of the North and West stands to prevent any unauthorized entry, especially following an incident where an enthusiastic fan rushed from the North Stand to touch Kohli’s feet during the 12th over.
Sources noted that they had never witnessed such a high turnout for a domestic red-ball match in New Delhi since a Duleep Trophy game in the 80s, featuring cricket legends Kapil Dev and Sunil Gavaskar competing for the North and West Zones, respectively, which underscores Kohli's immense appeal in Indian cricket.
