Virat Kohli: Is Delhi pollution with AQI touching 400 best way to test star batter in Ranji Trophy?

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To all the critics and sadists who think Virat Kohli wants to be treated as special, his decision to play one Ranji Trophy tie for Delhi against Railways in the Capital from January 30 is absurd.

Agreed, in the aftermath of the Border Gavaskar Trophy Series, BCCI review meetings have caused turmoil. For those who are applauding this as a win for coach Gautam Gambhir, that he has forced the superstars -- Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja -- to return to domestic cricket, hang on. How much domestic cricket Gambhir himself played for Delhi in the Ranji Trophy needs to be checked.

Understand one thing, Indian cricket is non-stop, something which Rohit Sharma also mentioned at the press conference on Saturday. For all those who mocked Virat Kohli for a stiff neck, there was a problem. That he has agreed to play a Ranji match in the Capital after well over a decade is symbolic. He has nothing to prove, even if he fails outside the off-stump. Of what use is the Ranji Trophy and all other domestic cricket if it cannot select a Sanju Samson ahead of KL Rahul for the Champions Trophy next month in 2025. Did performances in the Vijay Hazare Trophy get a place for Karun Nair in the Champions Trophy? No.

All this drama over a captain and former captain playing Ranji Trophy is nothing but optics. It suits in a perception that the BCCI has the legends by the scruff of their neck. No way, the BCCI selectors led by Ajit Agarkar are still picking the team at random. There is no consistency, more so when you have three bowlers named with a question mark on fitness -- Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah and Kuldeep Yadav. If the selectors can pick unfit players then they will pick players out of form as well, and just on pedigree and past performance.

Should Virat Kohli fail in the one match against Railways, his career will not be decided by it. He will still go to Dubai. And for the high-profile Test tour later in England, who the selectors pick is worth waiting. You cannot send those who performed in domestic cricket alone. If the BCCI has the guts to drop Kohli, that will be interesting. On Monday, former India captain Sourav Ganguly, hailed as 'Dada', was waxing eloquent on Virat Kohli's batting in Kolkata.

Kohli must be laughing how 'Dada' changes colours like a chameleon. Rewind to the period when Sourav Ganguly was the BCCI President and played politics. He was the one who ensured Kohli walked out of captaincy in every format. At the same time, Ganguly also ensured he would get rid of Ravi Shastri the coach and beg Rahul Dravid to take charge.

Don't forget, everyone is a politician in Indian cricket, Ganguly included. They have played games away from the 22 yards in the middle. If you still need validation on how Ganguly was made BCCI President, that was also a political move. Ganguly did more damage. Today he can pontificate. Kohli does not need a certificate from Dada.

Most importantly, the Delhi weather has been beastly and the pollution is very high. By 'insisting' Pant and Kohli play one Ranji match, is that healthy? Last week, during an ITF women's tennis event in the Capital, the AQI touched almost 400. Play was stopped. Some players even posted on Instagram how bad it was. Does the BCCI need to ensure marquee players are in good health or fall sick in the Capital?