Ranji Trophy: Followers jostle to enter Delhi’s Arun Jaitley Stadium, nobody injured

Spectators are seen on the ‘Gautam Gambhir Stand’ on the primary day of a Ranji trophy cricket match between Delhi and Railways, on the Arun Jaitley Stadium, in New Delhi, Thursday, January 30, 2025.
| Picture Credit score: PTI

There was a short rush and jostling exterior the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Thursday (January 30, 2025) morning as followers, who had gathered to see Indian famous person Virat Kohli play his first Ranji Trophy sport since 2012, tried to make their means inside.

Nobody was injured within the incident, police mentioned.

Initially, just one gate was open for entry and other people began pushing one another to get contained in the stadium, a Delhi Police assertion mentioned.

“Extra gates had been quickly opened, easing the state of affairs. No accidents had been reported, and the state of affairs is now underneath management,” it mentioned.

The ‘King Kohli’ impact

The unrivaled aura of Virat Kohli was on full show in and across the Arun Jaitley Stadium in the course of the Ranji Trophy fixture between Delhi and Railways as hundreds of followers queued as much as watch the famous person in an unprecedented rush that compelled directors to make further last-minute preparations.

The DDCA (Delhi and Districts Cricket Affiliation) had projected a crowd of round 10,000 for Kohli’s homecoming, which is unheard for a Ranji Trophy sport. However such was his magnetic pull that even these lofty calculations went for a toss.

Lengthy earlier than the beginning of play at 9.30am native time, the 36-year-old Kohli’s loyal band of supporters had been jostling to enter the stadium the place entry is free for home matches.

1000’s of followers queued as much as watch Kohli, who’s enjoying for Delhi towards Railways, in his first home red-ball look in 13 years.

The ‘Gautam Gambhir Stand’ was already packed to the rafters and it hardly took time to fill the decrease tier of the ‘Bishan Bedi Stand’, taking the gang rely effectively previous 12,000 at toss.

The deafening roars of “Kohli, Kohli” may very well be heard from a distance as the previous India captain took the sphere with the remainder of the Delhi teammates.