Former England captain Kevin Pietersen has long been one of star India batter Virat Kohli’s strongest supporters. Their camaraderie dates back to their time together at Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the 2009 and 2010 IPL seasons. Even now, their friendship remains evident, with the two often seen chatting during India’s recent ODI series against England.
Pietersen even revealed after the third ODI in Ahmedabad that their conversations never revolve around cricket. Kohli, who played two matches in the series, scoring 5 and 52, is now gearing up for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy.
Kohli’s Future Lies in His Own Hands
While speaking on Star Sports, Pietersen expressed confidence in Kohli’s ability to prove his critics wrong. He emphasized that Kohli has been doubted numerous times in his career, yet he always manages to silence his detractors.
“You can’t write these guys off because of the aura they have when they walk out to bat,” said Pietersen. However, he also highlighted that Kohli’s future in cricket is a personal decision. “The question mark doesn’t come down to me, you, the selectors, the coaches, or the other players. Virat Kohli can only answer the question, in terms of how long he wants to continue and how much fight he has to get better,” he stated.
A Thoughtful Gesture from Kohli
Kohli recently demonstrated his warmth off the field by gifting a signed Indian cricket team jersey to Pietersen’s son, Dylan. Pietersen shared a heartfelt Instagram post of Dylan wearing the jersey, which bore Kohli’s autograph along with the message: “To Dylan, with best wishes.”
Expressing his gratitude, Pietersen captioned the post, “Got home and gave @dylanpietersenphotography a gift from @virat.kohli and it goes straight on! Fits like a glove. Thanks buddy!”
As Kohli prepares for the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy, he remains a vital part of India’s squad, led by Rohit Sharma. With seasoned players like KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, and Rishabh Pant alongside him, the tournament presents yet another opportunity for the Indian batting maestro to reaffirm his dominance on the global stage.
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