Delhi's Ranji Trophy captain Ayush Badoni expressed excitement over Virat Kohli's inclusion in the team as the star batter prepares to play against Railways on Thursday at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.

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Speaking about the impact of Kohli's presence, Badoni highlighted how it has lifted the morale of the team.

"Everyone is very excited and highly motivated with him in the team. His presence brings a different energy and makes the team feel more lively," Badoni said.

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With Kohli set to feature in the crucial encounter, Delhi will be looking to capitalize on his experience and leadership in their Ranji Trophy campaign.

Also read: 'Double your benchmark': Virat Kohli gives advice to young kid ahead of his Ranji Trophy return (WATCH)

It was a memorable homecoming for star India batter Virat Kohli as the veteran batter joined the Delhi squad to prepare for his first Ranji Trophy match in 12 years at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on Tuesday.

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The stadium is where the superstar batter began his journey in first-class cricket back in November 2006 with a brief outing of 10 runs. Since then he has become a "10 on 10" cricketer in the eyes of millions of his fans. 9,000-plus Test runs, 30 centuries and multiple records later, the 36-year-old returns to the place where it all started in a bid to refine his skillset for perhaps one last peak before he hangs up his bat.

Virat Kohli with his Childhood Friend at Arun Jaitley🥹 pic.twitter.com/ZJtd8rQx5X
— 𝙒𝙧𝙤𝙜𝙣🥂 (@wrognxvirat) January 28, 2025

Delhi is in the sixth spot in Group D, with a win, two losses and three draws. Their previous match saw them surrender to Saurashtra by 10 wickets, with India's star all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja shining with a 12-wicket haul, including a seven-fer in the second innings.

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The 36-year-old's last appearance in Ranji was back in November 2012 against Uttar Pradesh, in which he was dismissed for 14 and 42 runs in both innings by pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar.

The 2006/07 Ranji season was Virat's first-ever appearance in the competition. The batter did rather decently, scoring 257 runs in six matches and nine innings at an average of 36.71, with a best score of 90 and two half-centuries.

Also read: Virat Kohli set for Ranji Trophy return after 12 years; DDCA to beef up security

The next season in 2007/08 was statistically a better outing for Virat, as he scored 373 runs in five matches and eight innings at an average of 53.28, with two centuries and a best score of 169 but inconsistency was a big issue for the batter as he managed 98 runs in six innings in which he did not cross the fifty-run mark.

The 2008-09 was a solid season for Virat, as he scored 174 runs in five innings and four games, an average of 34.80, with two fifties and a best score of 83.

The next two seasons 2009/10 and 2010/11 were breakthrough seasons for the batter, which combined with his brilliant international white-ball performances, helped him earn the Indian Test cap in 2011.

In the 2009/10 season, he scored 374 runs in three matches and six innings at an average of 93.50, with a century and two fifties. His best score was 145. He followed this with 339 runs in four matches and six innings at an average of 56.50, with two centuries and a best score of 173.

The 2012/13 season saw him play just one game against UP, in which he scored a total of 56 runs.
Overall in his Ranji career, Virat has scored 1,573 runs at an average of 50.77, with five centuries and six fifties in 23 matches.

Fans would no doubt, love to see the superstar batter back in Delhi clothing once again, as he seeks another peak in Test cricket after years of struggle and inconsistency.

Virat has been facing a massive decline in his Test performances that dates back to the start of 2020. In 39 Test matches since the start of 2020, Virat has scored just 2,028 runs at an average of 30.72, with just three centuries and nine fifties to show. His best score is 186.

Virat ended the ICC World Test Championship 2023-25 cycle with 751 runs in 14 matches and 25 innings at an average of 32.65, with two centuries and three fifties. His best score was 121.

In 10 Tests last year, he scored just 417 runs at an average of 24.52 with just one century and fifty, to conclude a disappointing year.

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