Vijay Hazare Trophy: Virat Kohli of old shines in echoing silence

BENGALURU: Packed stadiums, resounding 'Kohli, Kohli!' chants and the RCB roar — irrespective of the tournament or the team — are usually the backdrop when Virat Kohli walks out to bat anywhere in the world. On Wednesday, however, some 36 km west of the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, the contest's original host, Kohli was greeted by barely a hundred spectators, perched atop trucks and trees and lining the compound walls of the fortress that is the BCCI Centre of Excellence.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!It was a setting most unfamiliar to Kohli for over a decade and a half at the peak of his stardom in cricket grounds across the world. Yet, with the sound of his shots echoing across the vastness of the ground, the 37-year-old Indian superstar did what he does best. Simply, he piled on runs with trademark precision, even as the opposition bowlers struggled to mount a serious challenge. On a record-breaking opening day of the Vijay Hazare Trophy, Kohli carved out another slice of history, surpassing Sachin Tendulkar to become the fastest to 16,000 runs in men's List A cricket. He reached the landmark in his 330th appearance, compared to Tendulkar's 391. The feat came during a commanding 101-ball 131 (14x4, 3x6), which powered Delhi to a four-wicket win over Andhra.After Andhra, sent in to bat, posted a competitive 298/8 — built around veteran Ricky Bhui's century (122; 105b; 11x4, 7x6) — Delhi chased down the target in just 37.4 overs. Kohli's century was ably supported by opening partner Priyansh Arya (74) and Nitish Rana (77), whose half-centuries ensured a swift finish.For the record, man-of-the-match Simranjeet Singh returned impressive figures of 5 for 54 for Delhi, but on a brisk day, every performance was eclipsed by Kohli's towering presence and masterclass.Kohli opened his account by lofting Nitish Kumar Reddy over extra cover off the third ball he faced, before threading a boundary between cover and point. A back-foot punch soon brought up his first six. He was offered two reprieves—the first on 32, when Saurabh Kumar spilled a chance at mid-on off Satyanarayana Raju. The missed opportunity only fuelled Kohli's aggression as he raised his half-century off just 39 deliveries with a crisp cut to backward point.It felt as though Kohli had resumed from where he left off in the recent series against South Africa, where he amassed 302 runs, including two centuries. Andhra tried to regroup, with Nitish adjusting his lengths, but there was little respite. At the other end, Arya joined the onslaught, keeping the pressure firmly on the bowlers.In a display of his vast shot repertoire, Kohli found the boundary at will. He danced down the track to launch a six en route to the 80s, while the 90s were brought up with a straightdriven four off Nitish. A misfield at cover added to Andhra's woes. With Kohli on 97, there was a brief hush as KSN Raju induced a mistimed shot to mid-off, only for Rasheed to put it down.Kohli needed little invitation after that, completing his 58th List A century with a confident drive down the ground, followed by a restrained acknowledgement of applause.His innings ended quietly when he offered a simple catch to Rasheed at covers off Satyanarayana Raju.The weeks of hype surrounding Kohli's return to domestic cricket were fully justified, even if only a fortunate few were present to witness it in person — and the absence of live television coverage only underscored the irony.Scores: