THE SUBJECTS AND THEIR KING

Kohli's first Ranji Trophy match since 2012 reiterated his superstardom amongst the stalwarts of Indian cricket

- SWAROOP SWAMINATHAN/GOMESH S @ Chennai

IN an interview to Anupam Kher, Shah Rukh Khan, when he was asked whether he feared losing his status as the alpha star, responded by saying: "I'm the last of the stars." At once, it revealed how secure he was in the legacy he would leave behind.

Indian cricket, too, has had a ton of stars capable of creating a traffic jam on an eight-lane national highway. Just as New Delhi's Air Quality Index (AQI) plummeted further on Thursday morning, the city woke up and made a beeline to watch one of the sport's last stars take centre stage at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. Virat Kohli. What was supposed to be a rather nondescript Ranji Trophy affair between Delhi and Railways had already threatened to become a generational game when it had emerged that the 36-year-old had made himself available for the encounter. As an occasion, this was going to be Lionel Messi appearing for Newell's or Usain Bolt running in the 100m for a local Jamaican club.