Kohli's return to domestic cricket ends in disappointment

Virat Kohli's much-anticipated return to domestic cricket after more than a decade ended in disappointment as he was bowled for just six, leaving thousands of fans dejected.

India's cricket board had instructed international stars to feature in domestic matches following the team's 3-1 series defeat in Australia, hoping to reignite their form.

Despite his regular appearances in the Indian Premier League (IPL), this was Kohli's first Ranji Trophy match in 12 years, as he turned out for Delhi against Railways. The 36-year-old walked in to bat on the second day to loud cheers, with fans chanting his name in anticipation.

After a watchful start, he briefly thrilled the crowd with a crisp straight drive off fast bowler Himanshu Sangwan. However, the excitement was short-lived as Kohli was clean bowled on the very next delivery, his off-stump sent cartwheeling.

Disheartened spectators began leaving the stadium even before Kohli reached the pavilion, and the crowd quickly thinned from thousands to just a few hundred.

His struggles mirror those of India captain Rohit Sharma, who managed only three runs in his Ranji Trophy return for Mumbai last week. Rohit, 37, and opener Yashasvi Jaiswal opted out of this week's matches.

Both Kohli and Rohit have been under scrutiny for their performances in the Test series against Australia. Kohli managed an unbeaten century in the opening Test but accumulated only 90 runs across his other eight innings. Rohit, who missed India's only victory in the series due to the birth of his second child, scored just 31 runs in three matches.

India's next Test assignment is a five-match series in England, beginning in june.