A wave of excitement swept through Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on Thursday morning as fans began to gather at the venue as early as 5 AM, eager to witness the return of Indian cricket legend Virat Kohli to the Ranji Trophy.

With Virat Kohli playing a Ranji Trophy game after 12 years and crowds turning out in massive numbers, the authorities decided to deploy paramilitary forces to ensure the proceedings on day 1 in Delhi against the Railways go smoothly.

It was a memorable day of action on day one of the final league stage round of the Ranji Trophy match, with Virat Kohli's presence in this tournament after 13 years drawing a stream of his fans and cricket lovers to the Arun Jaitley Stadium here.