Ranji Trophy
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Rishabh Pant Opts Out of Delhi Ranji Captaincy while Kohli to Take Matter to Rohan Jaitley

Rishabh Pant has opted out of captaining Delhi's Ranji Trophy team for the upcoming match against Saurashtra, with Ayush Badoni continuing in the role. Virat Kohli, included in the squad, will update DDCA president Rohan Jaitley on his availability. Delhi, with 14 points, must win their next two games to qualify for the knockout stage.

Rishabh Pant has opted out of captaining Delhi's Ranji Trophy team.
Image: Rishabh Pant has opted out of captaining Delhi's Ranji Trophy team / © News18

With the Delhi team preparing for their upcoming Ranji Trophy match against Saurashtra on January 23, 2025, Rishabh Pant has opted not to take the captaincy. Despite being included in the squad, Pant has stated that he doesn’t wish to lead the team, allowing Ayush Badoni to continue as captain. Pant, who is recovering from his 15-month injury layoff, will be available for selection but not in a leadership role.

Virat Kohli has also been named in the squad, but his participation depends on his availability due to a neck issue that required treatment in Sydney from the Team India physio. Kohli is expected to inform DDCA president Rohan Jaitley about his status by the evening. Although Kohli is likely to miss the first match, he could join for the second one.

Delhi’s position in the tournament is precarious, as they sit fourth in their group with 14 points from five matches. They are in a must-win situation to secure a place in the knockouts, needing victories against Saurashtra and Railways in their remaining fixtures. Pant’s last Ranji appearance was in the 2017-18 season, and Kohli had a subpar performance in the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, scoring only 190 runs in nine innings.

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