After a long wait of over 12 years, Virat Kohli returned to the Ranji Trophy for Delhi, only to face an early dismissal at the hands of Himanshu Sangwan. Stepping in at No. 4 for the Ayush Badoni-led side on Day 2 of the Elite Group D match at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, the 36-year-old batting icon managed just six runs from 15 deliveries. His stay at the crease was cut short in the morning session when Sangwan breached his defence and shattered his stumps, leaving thousands of fans in stunned silence.
While speaking in an interview, Himanshu Sangwan, who previously represented Delhi at the U19 level, shared an unusual piece of advice that helped him claim the prized wicket. Ahead of the match, speculation was rife about both Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant playing for Delhi. However, it soon became clear that only Virat Kohli would take the field, and with the match being streamed live, excitement reached new heights. Himanshu Sangwan, leading the Railways’ pace attack, found himself under pressure from teammates who expected him to dismiss the cricketing legend.
Interestingly, even the team’s bus driver had a suggestion for the fast bowler. “While we were traveling, the driver told me, ‘You know, you just need to bowl at the fourth or fifth stump line to Virat Kohli, and he’ll get out,’” Sangwan recalled. Though amused, he remained focused on his own strategy. “I believed in myself. Rather than targeting someone else’s weakness, I concentrated on my own strengths. That’s what I did, and I got the wicket.”
At 29, the pacer from Najafgarh insists that he had no specific game plan for Kohli. Yet, with a simple approach and unwavering self-belief, he managed to send one of cricket’s greatest batters back to the pavilion, etching his name into a memorable chapter of the tournament.
