New Delhi, Jan. 31 -- Neither a working Thursday morning nor the laze of the winters could prevent the crowd from building up at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. It had been a while since a domestic game had brought thousands to the stands, but it had become evident in the last couple of days that this was far from being just another match. It was the return of Delhi's own Virat Kohli, after all. In what is now a rare sight in domestic cricket, the crowd poured in, chanting his name (and RCB's), eager for a glimpse of their hometown hero in Ranji Trophy whites.
Kohli's return may have been prompted by the recent struggles of Indian stars on the international stage and a broader effort to rein in cricket's superstar culture, but on this day, under...