<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"> There was a brief rush and jostling outside the Arun Jaitley Stadium here on Thursday morning as fans, who had gathered to see Indian superstar <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/sports/cricket/article/virat-kohlis-presence-motivates-everyone-delhi-skipper-badoni-23474132" target="_blank" rel="none noopener"><strong>Virat Kohli</strong></a> play his first Ranji Trophy game since 2012, tried to make their way inside.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">No one was injured in the incident, police said.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Initially, only one gate was open for entry and people started pushing each other to get inside the stadium, a Delhi Police statement said.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"Additional gates were soon opened, easing the situation. No injuries were reported, and the situation is now under control," it said.</span></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">BCCI wanted to end superstar culture by playing Kohli in Ranji Trophy only for Kohli to get a record media coverage, stadium full of fans and Jio Cinema live telecast.<br />They tried to control him but Kohli ended up showing how big of a superstar he is <a href="https://t.co/r5oV5peO4b">pic.twitter.com/r5oV5peO4b</a></p>
&mdash; Gaurav (@Melbourne__82) <a href="https://twitter.com/Melbourne__82/status/1884813482467422406?ref_src=twsrc-Etfw">January 30, 2025</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">The crowd for a Ranji Trophy game in Delhi, anticipating Virat Kohli&rsquo;s return. <br /><br />&ldquo;Ranji ka matlab kya hai bhai?&rsquo; asks a young fan to his friend. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ranjitrophy?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc-Etfw">#ranjitrophy</a> <a href="https://t.co/xsIkknmkls">pic.twitter.com/xsIkknmkls</a></p>
&mdash; Akshay Ramesh (@iamnotakshayr) <a href="https://twitter.com/iamnotakshayr/status/1884811438394691881?ref_src=twsrc-Etfw">January 30, 2025</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">THIS IS KING KOHLI'S LEGACY..!!!! ?<br /><br />Look at the fans at Arun Jaitley stadium just to see Virat Kohli in the Ranji match - The Box Office. ?? <a href="https://t.co/bJQy8NDsa4">pic.twitter.com/bJQy8NDsa4</a></p>
&mdash; Tanuj Singh (@ImTanujSingh) <a href="https://twitter.com/ImTanujSingh/status/1884816324293239053?ref_src=twsrc-Etfw">January 30, 2025</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc-Etfw">#WATCH</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RanjiTrophy?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc-Etfw">#RanjiTrophy</a> | Delhi cricket team to take on Railways cricket team at Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi today.<br /><br />A fan, Mohd Gul Nawaz says, "...I have come from UP, just to watch the match. I have come here for Virat Kohli...This crowd is here for Virat Kohli..." <a href="https://t.co/DN8jU4IcVb">pic.twitter.com/DN8jU4IcVb</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1884814141325717867?ref_src=twsrc-Etfw">January 30, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" async="" charset="utf-8"></script>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Thousands of fans queued up to watch Kohli, who is playing for Delhi against Railways, in his <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/sports/cricket/article/virat-kohli-fine-tunes-backfoot-play-ahead-of-long-awaited-ranji-return-watch-23473578" target="_blank" rel="none noopener"><strong>first domestic red-ball appearance</strong></a> in 13 years.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The 'Gautam Gambhir Stand' was already packed to the rafters and it hardly took time to fill the lower tier of the 'Bishan Bedi Stand', taking the crowd count well past 12,000 at toss.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The deafening roars of "Kohli, Kohli" could be heard from a distance as the former India captain took the field with the rest of the Delhi teammates.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Delhi won the toss and opted to bowl first, but the real spectacle was outside the stadium, where thousands of fans turned up early in the morning, eager to catch a glimpse of their cricketing idol.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A fan, Mohd Gul Nawaz says, "...I have come from UP, just to watch the match. I have come here for Virat Kohli...This crowd is here for Virat Kohli...</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Another supporter echoed the sentiment, highlighting Kohli's unparalleled influence on Indian cricket.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Shantanu Mishra, a Cricket fan says, "There is a huge crowd (of viewers) here. I don't think there ever was such a crowd here for a Ranji match...This kind of turnout is only possible for Virat Kohli. Otherwise, there is no reason for such a large gathering at a Ranji Trophy match. Maybe in Mumbai, such crowds are common, but not in Delhi. This crowd is here for Virat Kohli."</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Many fans had arrived at the venue in the early hours, hoping to secure the best possible view.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">One devoted follower, Akash Kumar, who had been waiting since dawn, said, "I have been a huge fan of Virat Kohli since childhood. I have come from Sindhora Kalan. I have been here since 5.30 am to see him play. This is the first time I have seen such a crowd for a Ranji Trophy match. Everyone here is more excited for Kohli than anything else."</span></p>
<p><em><strong>(With inputs from agencies)</strong></em></p><p>
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Thousands of fans queued up to watch Kohli, who is playing for Delhi against Railways, in his first domestic red-ball appearance in 13 years

Tension mounts as Delhi fans compete for spots at Virat Kohli's first Ranji appearance in 13 years: WATCH

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Home / Sports / Cricket / Article / Tension mounts as Delhi fans compete for spots at Virat Kohli's first Ranji appearance in 13 years: WATCH

Tension mounts as Delhi fans compete for spots at Virat Kohli's first Ranji appearance in 13 years: WATCH

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