‘Do you even know its history?’- R Ashwin on fan’s ‘Ranji Trophy is blessed’ remark on Virat Kohli’s return

Twelve years and three months later, Virat Kohli made a comeback to the Ranji Trophy stage. The Railways pacer Himanshu Sangwan removed him when he could only muster six runs off of fifteen balls. Earlier this week, the Delhi batter’s performance at the Arun Jaitley Stadium drew a sizable crowd. On the first day, about 28,000 people watched the 36-year-old up close, and the numbers continued to grow over the next few days.

Ravichandran Ashwin, meanwhile, believes similar crowds have to be present at every Ranji Trophy match. In addition, the former India off-spinner expressed disappointment in a specific Kohli supporter who claimed on Twitter that the former India captain’s return had blessed the Ranji Trophy.

With regard to Virat Kohli, it’s fantastic.

He is incredibly driven. That’s what I know. His goal is to do well when playing Test cricket. In my opinion, he still has a lot of energy left. In the end, though, the attendance was spectacular. Ashwin stated on his YouTube channel, “Ash Ki Baat,” that such large fans ought to attend every Ranji Trophy play.

Cricket great Sachin Tendulkar used to play the Ranji Trophy constantly: R. Ashwin

In reference to the X post titled “Ranji Trophy is blessed with Kohli’s return,” Ashwin informed the fan that the renowned Sachin Tendulkar played the Ranji Trophy whenever he had the chance.

THE ICONIC WALK OF THE GOAT

– Ranji Trophy is Blessed…!!!! pic.twitter.com/VFx6MzkFPv

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) January 31, 2025

A tweet that read, ‘Ranji Trophy is blessed,’ caught my attention. To put it simply, pay attention. Do you even know the Ranji Trophy’s history? It has continued for a very long time. “It’s been a top-tier competition,” Ashwin stated.

Legendary cricketer Sachin Tendulkar used to compete in the Ranji Trophy often. Participating in the tournament has advantages for the players. “Cricket is very important for players, but players are not important for cricket,” he continued.

@ashwinravi99 anna brutally cooked @CricCrazyJohns on his YouTube channel pic.twitter.com/aq31eAwmvM

— Utsav Arora (@JB93_RO45_SKY63) February 1, 2025

Ashwin lavished admiration on Himanshu, who defeated Kohli on Day 2 of the round seven match between Delhi and Railways with a stunning delivery.

“Himanshu Sangwan’s ball was outstanding. He is a unique bowler for the Ranji Trophy. He is an accomplished performer. He’s a talented entertainer. He bowled a superb delivery. The delivery was classy, with a pause between the pad and bat. “The ball was worthy of a wicket,” Ashwin declared.

“I watched Virat Kohli bat. His bat was descending a bit more quickly. You have to adapt to the tempo at times. Regularly facing bowlers who are 140–145 kmph requires you to adapt to the pace. There’s nothing better than time in the middle. Virat Kohli receives remarkable levels of fandom and love. The fact that Virat has such a following makes me very happy. I’m so thrilled for Virat Kohli,” he continued.