Former Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh shared a simple message “enjoy” for cricket star Virat Kohli, who is playing in the ongoing Ranji Trophy match between Delhi and Railways.
Kohli made his return to Arun Jaitley Stadium for his first Ranji Trophy appearance since 2012. The stadium was packed with fans eager to watch their favorite player in action.
A notable incident occurred when a fan breached security to touch Kohli’s feet while he was fielding in the slips position.
Harbhajan emphasised that Kohli’s performance is secondary to his role in enjoying the game and sharing his knowledge with young cricketers.
“Virat Kohli is a role model. Youngsters will look up to him. If he scores runs or doesn’t, it is a different matter. If I was Virat Kohli, it would be to enjoy. When we start playing cricket because we enjoy it,” Harbhajan said on his YouTube channel.
“When you reach Virat’s level, the pressure and expectations take the front seat while enjoyment takes the back seat. I want him to enjoy the game and tell youngsters how to be Virat Kohli,” he added.
Kohli’s return to domestic cricket comes during a challenging period in his career. The 36-year-old’s performance across all formats in the previous year fell short of his usual standards.
In 2024, he scored 655 runs in 23 matches and 32 innings, averaging 21.83, with one century and two fifties. His highest score was an unbeaten century against Australia in Perth.
His Test cricket performance particularly showed a decline. In 10 Tests last year, he managed 417 runs at an average of 24.52, with one century and one fifty.
Harbhajan suggested spending time at the crease as a solution to Kohli’s batting challenges.
“When he goes out to bat, he should occupy the crease and spend three to four hours. Even if Virat scores zero, he will still be Virat Kohli. He will never be a lesser player. His achievements are very big. He should occupy the crease, and if he does that, he will score runs.”
