Always Knew Virat Kohli Was Destined For Greatness: Kevin Pietersen

Indian cricket team skipper Virat Kohli has had a rough time lately. His slump in form has seen Kohli come under criticism from fans and experts alike. After Team India’s ODI and Test series losses versus New Zealand, people have even started questioning Kohli’s captaincy.

However, in such a tough time, the 31-year-old has got an ally in the form of former England skipper Kevin Pietersen, who played with Kohli for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

According to Pietersen, when he played with Kohli earlier in his career, the Englishman had a hunch that one day the Indian batsman would become a great player.

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Kevin Pietersen sings praises for Virat Kohli:

Pietersen played with Kohli in the early years of the IPL. The latter made his international bow in 2008 and has since gone on to establish himself as one of the best batsmen of all time.

“Sitting on the bus with Virat and batting with Virat, I knew he was destined for greatness because of how he approached the game and the way he learnt and the questions he asked,” KP told Betway.

 

The 39-year-old added, “He was a chubby little fella back then and I still take the mickey out of him for it. But his determination to be the best player he could possibly be was evident.”

Kevin Pietersen recalls his time with Virat Kohli at RCB:

The Englishman who represented his country for a decade between 2004 to 2014 also revealed Kohli was always determined to become the best, even as a young cricketer from Delhi.

Pietersen stated, “But you could see this was a youngster who was determined to get his team over the line. He wasn’t just going to give his wicket away and it didn’t matter how many Tests I’d played or how much more senior I was. We do have an incredible friendship, probably because of the way I treated him when he was a youngster and how I helped and guided him at the start of his career.”

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