Virat Kohli's Blunt Message To Teammates Ahead Of Ranji Trophy Return: "Thande Pad Gaye..."

Indian cricket team star batter Virat Kohli will be playing his first Ranji Trophy match since 2012 when Delhi take on Railways on Thursday. Kohli, who did not have a good outing for India during the Test series loss against Australia, joined the squad in Delhi on Tuesday and started practice. It was a huge occasion for the youngsters in the side to practice alongside the modern great and Virat had a clear advice for his teammates. "Delhiwaale ho, dum dikhao. Shuruat accha kiya phir thande pad gaye. Positive khelo jaise Delhiwaale khelte hain," he said during the practice session according to a report by PTI.

It was in context of Delhi's form in the Ranji Trophy as they have won just one out of their six matches while two ended in a draw. Despite starting the season well, Delhi went defeated on three occasions.

At exactly 9am when his jet black Porsche zoomed in through the Feroz Shah Kotla ground's 'Virender Sehwag Gate', it was homecoming for Delhi's very own Virat Kohli, who checked in for a training stint with his first-class team after more than 12 years.

Save for pacer Navdeep Saini, all other 18 members of Delhi's squad had only seen him on TV and grown up listening to the tales of how 'Cheeku', the cherubic talent, became the 'King' of Indian cricket.

In the last 15 years, Delhi's 'Cheeku' became a hazy memory as he turned into the most commercially viable brand in global cricket, the face that ICC sold in its Olympic bid presentation.

On Monday, he was at his home ground for around three hours and had everyone in his vicinity hypnotised. Whether the young impressionable players, or seasoned head coach Sarandeep Singh or batting coach Bantu Singh -- all of them evidently wanted to be close to him.

Though