Virat Kohli set to play Ranji Trophy against Railways

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Virat Kohli will play his final Ranji Trophy league match for Delhi against Railways at the Ferozeshah Kotla from January 30. The star batter, currently nursing a neck injury, is expected to be fit for the match, following pressure from the BCCI.

The board has made it mandatory for players not on national duty to participate in domestic cricket. Kohli's last appearance for Delhi in the competition was in 2012, against Uttar Pradesh, under the captaincy of Virender Sehwag, with Gautam Gambhir also playing that match.

Gambhir as head coach of Indian team has said that even big-name players like Kohli and Rohit Sharma have to play domestic cricket when available. This decision has become a significant talking point across the country.

All this while, Kohli was in touch with DDCA president Rohan Jaitley and had already explained his keenness to play and also assured him that he would swing into action for his state once he gets fit. Virat is also expected to attend the nets on January 13.

Sources have revealed that the BCCI has instructed the selectors that players who fail to adhere to the new SOPs, which include participating in domestic cricket when not on national duty, could face serious consequences. These players may be dropped from the national team and could even be suspended from playing in the IPL. "This move from BCCI is to ensuring that top players contribute to the domestic circuit, promoting its importance and competitiveness," a source said.

Earlier, Kohli was committed to playing the final two league matches of the Ranji Trophy for Delhi, but a freak neck injury raised doubts over his participation in the penultimate game. However, it is expected that Kohli would be ready to take the field once he regains full fitness.