Fri Jan 31 21:01:59 UTC 2025: ## Kohli’s Ranji Trophy Return Sends Google Searches Soaring
**NEW DELHI** – Virat Kohli’s return to the Ranji Trophy after a 12-year hiatus has sent the domestic tournament’s popularity skyrocketing. Google searches for “Ranji Trophy” reached an all-time high in the past 24 hours, driven largely by the excitement surrounding Kohli’s participation for Delhi against Railways.
Kohli’s comeback, though brief in his first innings (6 runs off 15 balls), drew massive crowds to the Arun Jaitley Stadium. Thousands of fans, some queuing as early as 5 AM, flocked to witness the match, taking advantage of the DDCA’s free entry policy requiring only Aadhaar card verification. The overwhelming turnout, however, led to chaotic scenes outside the stadium, with reports of injuries among the crowd.
The second phase of the Ranji Trophy began on January 23rd. While Kohli did not play in Delhi’s match against Saurashtra, news of his return ignited online interest. The Delhi vs Railways match, which started on January 30th, saw Railways’ first innings total at 241 runs. Delhi ended Day 1 at 41/1.
The article also briefly mentions an unrelated piece of news about an Australian cricketer facing injury issues, potentially impacting their Champions Trophy and IPL participation.
First Piper 