Batting maestro Virat Kohli's triumphant return to domestic cricket sent the internet into a frenzy, with Google India itself joining the legion of fans celebrating his performance. Kohli marked his comeback to the Vijay Hazare Trophy (VHT) after 15 years with a magnificent century, a knock that instantly became the most-searched topic in India for over ten hours.
Kohli's Dominant Century Lights Up Bengaluru
Playing his first 50-over match for Delhi in 12 years, Virat Kohli was in sublime touch. He crafted a match-winning 131 runs off just 101 balls, an innings peppered with 14 elegant fours and three powerful sixes. His strike rate soared above 129, showcasing his signature drives, straight hits, and precise gap-finding ability. This knock propelled him past 1,000 List A runs for Delhi. In 18 matches for the state, he now boasts 1,041 runs at a staggering average of 65.06.
Kohli's masterclass was central to Delhi's successful chase against Andhra Pradesh. After Delhi chose to field, Andhra posted 298/8, thanks largely to Ricky Bhui's 122. Delhi's chase saw early jitters, but a 113-run partnership between Priyansh Arya (74) and Kohli steadied the ship. The chase was then sealed by a massive 160-run stand between Kohli and captain Nitish Rana (77), before Kohli was finally dismissed for his 131.
Google India Joins the Fan Craze
The excitement wasn't confined to the ground. Google India took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to highlight the massive online search activity generated by Kohli's fans. In a clever post referencing Kohli's iconic jersey number, they tweeted, "Refreshing 181818 times on Search ?."
A second post revealed the sheer scale of the digital frenzy: the 'Delhi vs Andhra' Vijay Hazare Trophy match was the most-searched topic on Google in India for over 10 hours. The search engine giant noted there were more than 1 million searches for the live score and related match information, captioning it with a playful "+1M Aura ?." Fans quickly shared screenshots of these posts, amplifying the celebration of King Kohli's return to form.
Milestones and Match Notes
This innings added another chapter to Kohli's illustrious List A career. Overall, in 343 matches, he has amassed 16,130 runs at an average of 57.60, including 58 centuries and 84 fifties. His best score remains 183. On the bowling front for Delhi, pacer Simarjeet Singh was the standout performer, claiming an impressive 5-wicket haul for 54 runs.
The match was held at the Karnataka State Cricket Association's Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, as the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium was unavailable. The venue was closed to spectators due to security reasons cited by the state government. Despite the lack of a live crowd, Virat Kohli once again proved he can set the digital world alight with a single, majestic innings.
