VIrat Kolhi in RCB ( Photo source : X ? Twitter )
In exclusive insights shared on Star Sports’ Cricket Live, former England cricketer Kevin Pietersen offered profound observations on Virat Kohli’s recent performance and his enduring impact on Indian cricket. Pietersen commended Kohli’s remarkable display against the Punjab Kings, noting his comfort and the electrifying atmosphere he ignites in the stadium. Additionally, Pietersen reflected on Kohli’s transformative influence on Indian cricketers, emphasizing his role in cultivating athleticism and commitment among his teammates. Former India cricketer Varun Aaron also weighed in on Kohli’s performance, highlighting his penchant for thriving in high-pressure situations.
Kevin Pietersen spoke on Virat Kohli’s performance against Punjab Kings. He said*, “It is tremendous to watch Virat. It is so nice to see him play and feel so comfortable. He had a long break for personal reasons and to see him just make the stadium turn on the way the stadium can turn on. It’s something that he really feeds off. I spent some time with him before the game. We had quite a lengthy conversation. You can almost see in his eyes. He’s back in the Chinnaswamy Stadium and he wants to turn it on, and this evening he turned it on.”
Varun Aaron spoke on Virat Kohli’s performance against PBKS. He said*, “Virat Kohli loves big occasions. He loves big crowds. He loves to come back to Chinnaswamy Stadium, play with the big crowd after a huge break. I know the first match didn’t go that well like he would have wanted to go but that doesn’t matter for somebody of that stature. He just took the bowlers on, made a mistake initially but then never let them have a chance at all.”
He added, “See, Virat Kohli’s greatness is how he throws the bowlers off his plans. Any batsman wouldn’t want any bowler to bowl that length to which he almost got caught in the first ball. The next ball he stepped out, he doesn’t let the bowler settle into his lengths. And that’s a mark of a great batsman. A great batsman will make you bowl to where they want you to bowl, they don’t let you bowl where you want to bowl. And Virat Kohli does just that and that’s why he’s so successful in international cricket and at the IPL.”