Indian stars in Ranji Trophy: Kohli fails on comeback, Rahul falls short of fifty, Rahane misses ton

As Day 2 of the final round of group matches in the ongoing Ranji Trophy came to an end, several Indian stars were in action across various venues. While Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara came agonizingly close to centuries, Virat Kohli failed to make an impact in his much-anticipated domestic comeback. KL Rahul also had a brief stay at the crease, while Kuldeep Yadav made a solid return to First-Class cricket. Here’s a look at how these key India players fared.

Virat Kohli’s struggles continue on domestic return

Playing his first Ranji Trophy match in over 12 years, Kohli’s return to domestic cricket was short-lived. Batting for Delhi against Railways, the former India captain showed early promise with a beautifully timed boundary. However, on the very next delivery, he failed to read an inswinging ball from Himanshu Sangwan, which shattered his off-stump. Kohli managed just six runs off 15 balls, extending his struggle in the longest format.

Despite Kohli’s early dismissal, Delhi captain Ayush Badoni took charge with a fighting 99-run knock, while Sumit Mathur also made a valuable contribution. At stumps on Day 2, Delhi led Railways by 93 runs.

Stumps on Day 2!

Delhi move to 334/7, leading by 93 runs.

Ayush Badoni (99) and Sumit Mathur (78*) headlined Delhi's day with a 133-run stand.

Himanshu Sangwan and Kunal Yadav picked up two wickets each.#RanjiTrophy | @IDFCFIRSTBank

Scorecard ▶️ https://t.co/IhwXam3F5T pic.twitter.com/sR7f3KPUo4

— BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) January 31, 2025

KL Rahul falls for 26, Karnataka in battle against Haryana

Rahul also had a forgettable outing on his return to Ranji Trophy during Karnataka’s match against Haryana. The wicketkeeper-batter was dismissed for 26 runs on the opening day, falling to Anshul Kamboj. After Karnataka posted 304 runs, Haryana responded strongly, reaching 232/5 at stumps, still trailing by 72 runs.

Ajinkya Rahane misses century but Mumbai dominate

Rahane came close to a well-deserved hundred but fell just short, getting out for 96. Despite his dismissal, Mumbai continued their dominance, declaring at 671/7. Three Mumbai batters slammed centuries, ensuring a massive lead against Meghalaya, who were bundled out for just 86 runs in their first innings. At stumps, Meghalaya trailed by 558 runs, facing an uphill battle.

Cheteshwar Pujara falls on 99 as Saurashtra tightens grip

Pujara, known for his consistency in red-ball cricket, was left heartbroken as he missed out on his 67th First-Class hundred by just one run. He was dismissed on 99 by Mukhtar Hussain in Saurashtra’s innings against Assam. However, Pujara’s near-century helped Saurashtra post 474 runs.

Led by Jaydev Unadkat, Saurashtra’s bowlers then dismissed Assam for 164 runs, enforcing a follow-on. Assam still trail by 243 runs, with captain Riyan Parag top-scoring with 51 in their first innings.

Kuldeep Yadav returns with three wickets

Playing his first competitive match after recovering from a sports hernia, Kuldeep made an impressive comeback for Uttar Pradesh against Madhya Pradesh. The spinner picked up three wickets in the first innings as MP posted a mammoth 670/7 declared. This match serves as a crucial tune-up for Kuldeep, who has been included in India’s ODI squad for the upcoming England series as well as the Champions Trophy. With Uttar Pradesh trailing by 575 runs, Kuldeep will be hoping to make an impact with the ball in the second innings as well.