NEW DELHI: Delhi coach Vijay Dahiya said he would love to have Virat Kohli in the dressing room if the senior India batter wants to play the Vijay Hazare Trophy, which is scheduled to begin on December 14.“If he wants to play, I would love to have him in this dressing room. I would love to have him there just to talk to the boys. I won’t let him go home. I’ll make him sit in the dressing room and tell the boys about his journey, the hard work, the ethics and the honour of playing for the country,” Dahiya told reporters at the Air Force Complex Ground in Palam.“I have seen him through all the stages. I can tell the boys where he started and where he is today. There is a pathway. Maybe you cannot become Virat, but you can become someone if you do certain things the right way.”The Ranji Trophy match between Delhi and Services ended in a draw, with Delhi walking away with three points after taking the first-innings lead.Kohli played two matches for Delhi in the Vijay Hazare Trophy last season, scoring 131 and 77 against Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat, respectively.Kohli, who turned 38 on Thursday and now plays only one format, is set to feature in India’s three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka on December 13, 16 and 19. He will miss Delhi’s first three Vijay Hazare Trophy matches against Goa, Punjab and Rajasthan but could join the team for its December 21 clash against Chandigarh.Dahiya, who has witnessed Kohli’s growth since his junior days, also narrated an interaction with Delhi opener Priyansh Arya after the latter was dismissed on Day 4 of the Ranji Trophy fixture against Services.Delhi were set a target of 320 runs in 56 overs, with Arya caught at deep square leg off Jayant Goyat’s bowling.
Vijay Dahiya (Image:X)
“He asked me, ‘If Virat was there, how would he have chased this total?’ We worked it out and discussed how he would have approached the chase,” Dahiya said.“That’s the reason why I said I would love to have him there. He was there last season as well. I would love to have him there just to talk to the boys.“I won’t let him go home. I will make him sit in the dressing room and tell the boys, step by step, about his journey.“I have seen him through all the stages. I can tell them where he was and where he is today. There is a pathway. Maybe you cannot become Virat, but you can become someone if you do certain things the right way,” Dahiya said.Dahiya also expressed his desire to have veteran India pacer Ishant Sharma , who has played 105 Tests, as a mentor for Delhi’s red-ball team.“Somebody who has played 100 Test matches can come back. He should be here as a mentor for red-ball cricket and share his ideas,” he said.Dahiya said Ishant was working hard and remained available for white-ball cricket.“He is working hard right now. I asked him, and he said he was bowling really well. So he is definitely available as far as white-ball cricket is concerned,” Dahiya said, referring to Ishant’s availability for the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and Vijay Hazare Trophy.