'Went to get rid of one weakness, found another!' Fans troll Virat Kohli after his early exit in Ranji Trophy return
Virat Kohli’s early Ranji Trophy dismissal sparked a meme fest online, with fans joking about his short stay and the stadium emptying right after his wicket.
Indian cricketer Virat Kohli’s much-hyped return to domestic red-ball cricket after 12 years lasted just 15 deliveries, and the internet had a field day with it. As soon as Kohli was dismissed for just 6 runs in Delhi’s Ranji Trophy clash against Railways, social media erupted with memes and jokes.
Netizens quipped about fans making an early exit from the stadium, compared his short stay to a cameo appearance, and even joked about a ‘new weakness’ being discovered in his batting.
Kohli’s homecoming at the Arun Jaitley Stadium had drawn massive crowds, with some fans queuing up as early as 3 AM just to watch him bat. However, their excitement turned to disappointment when Railways pacer Himanshu Sangwan shattered Kohli’s stumps with a delivery that deceived him after he had struck a boundary on the previous ball.
Moments later, many spectators were seen leaving the stands, mirroring the abrupt end to Kohli’s innings—something social media was quick to pick up on.
A host of Indian cricketers, including Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have returned to the domestic red ball tournament after significant amount of time. Experts and fans of the game have welcomed the decision as they feel that the return will help out-of-form players to get back to basics, while also help young cricketers to learn from them.
Beyond the fanfare, cricket expert Jatin Sapru hailed the move as a boon for domestic cricket, noting that young players in the squad would greatly benefit from sharing the dressing room with a legend like Kohli.
“Imagine a 20-year-old cricketer who has a Virat Kohli poster in his room suddenly sitting beside him in the dressing room. He now has direct access to Kohli’s mindset, his work ethic—what a learning experience that would be! Everyone around would push themselves harder, whether with the bat, ball, or on the field. It’s a win-win for everyone involved,” Sapru explained.
He further stressed the broader impact of international stars playing domestic cricket. “With top players competing in these tournaments, the overall standard of cricket immediately rises. Every performance becomes that much more significant,” he added.
