Ranji Trophy Meets Virat Kohli Mania: Delhi Crowds Flock to See GOAT at Arun Jaitley Stadium

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The GOAT (Greatest Of All Time) debate is a must in sports. And if you talk of cricket, despite runs having dried up from his blade, the charisma of Virat Kohli is still intact.

On Thursday, gates leading to the Ferozeshah Kotla, now known as the Arun Jaitley Stadium, were choc-a-bloc. Fans were coming just to get a 'darshan' of King Kohli. Compare this with what happened at the BKC ground in Mumbai last week, when Rohit Sharma turned out for Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy. There was no such madness.

So, what is it that has made Delhi, a city described as not having a sports culture turn up in large numbers? The answer is the popularity of Kohli and how he inspires so many lakhs even today. If social media is to be taken seriously, then fans have started coming as early as 3 am in the cold, all the way from Uttar Pradesh and other far-flung areas. Office goers bunked work, some college kids skipped classes and even many school kids were brought to the hallowed precincts of the Kotla for a glimpse of Kohli. Moms who usually fuss over a class missed were happy their kids could see the legend in flesh and blood.

It was a coup of sorts the DDCA threw open the doors. There was no ticket to be purchased and free entry did attract fans. For those who cannot afford to buy tickets for the IPL (Indian Premier League), a Ranji Trophy match of little consequence still ensured a sizeable crowd turnout, in excess of 10,000. The local 'chhola bhatura' sellers and 'dhabas' near Fleet Street also did good business. Main point, if domestic cricket needed a big figure to show up and attract crowds, King Kohli has done it.

Boxing legend Muhammad Ali called himself 'The Greatest' which he was. That is when a boxing arena packs in 25,000-odd crazy fans who love the sport. In cricket, the craze for the IPL is massive, and team loyalty peaks. No, on Wednesday, at practice, and on Thursday, the craze was for one man on the field. Delhi were not even batting first. All that mattered to people who had to push through crowds and even scale walls was to get a glimpse of the hero. For the fortunate ones who got an autograph, it was a prized possession. For youngsters aspiring to become a 'Virat Kohli' Thursday was special. To see the hero, the legend, in flesh and blood was different.

Virat Kohli was and is trending. Every bit of him has been tracked, including what he had for lunch. Even the chef at the DDCA has become famous, as he prepared 'paneer tikka' for Kohli. For someone who is very fastidious about what and how much he eats, and how much he should exercise, to set an example for thousands is wonderful. To borrow a phrase from the commentary of WV Raman, such popularity was enjoyed by Sachin Tendulkar in the past. Times are changing, King Kohli rocks.