Virat Kohli show resumes after a short break

BENGALURU: Before Wednesday, Virat Kohli’s last appearance in the Vijay Hazare Trophy dated back to Feb 2010. Fifteen years on, as Delhi prepare for their second outing here, the question that lingers is: Could this be Kohli’s final brush with the domestic 50-over tournament?Kohli’s presence in domestic cricket has become a rarity, almost an event in itself. With the former India captain having already stepped away from Tests and T20Is, the prospect of him returning for another Vijay Hazare season seems distant. That rarity has lent the ongoing edition an air of anticipation, with star power drawing attention across centres hosting the league fixtures.In Bengaluru, the anticipation was palpable. Fans had hoped to catch Kohli at the familiar confines of the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. Instead, seven Group D matches were shifted to the BCCI Centre of Excellence on the city’s outskirts after the stadium was denied permission. Devoid of spectator facilities, the venue was hardly designed for a Kohli appearance — yet that did little to dull the frenzy.On a crisp winter afternoon against Andhra, the match unfolded like an open-air spectacle. With no stands to sit in, fans climbed atop carrier trucks, perched on trees and leaned over compound walls, united by a single pursuit: a glimpse of Kohli in action. Nearby, U-19 players undergoing match simulation paused often, drawn by the magnetism unfolding next door.Kohli, in turn, made the wait worthwhile. He spent most of Andhra’s innings patrolling the field, stepping away only briefly, before settling in for a long stay at the crease. For nearly 33 overs, he stitched together a fluent 131 off 101 balls — a knock that blended authority with effortlessness, and purpose with poise.The frenzy shows no signs of easing. On Friday, when Delhi take on a Chintan Gaja-led Gujarat, Kohli will once again be the axis around which the contest will revolve. Among the few subplots, his duel with leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi stands out. The 25-year-old, still seeking to carve a longer white-ball career after a solitary ODI appearance in Oct 2022, is looking to make a statement.