Listen to this article

Former England cricketer Kevin Pietersen has stirred a debate regarding Virat Kohli’s future with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), suggesting that a move might be necessary for Kohli to secure an Indian Premier League (IPL) trophy.

Despite another outstanding season, where Kohli topped the IPL 2024 run-scorers chart with over 700 runs, his quest for an IPL title remains unfulfilled. RCB’s campaign ended in disappointment after a loss to Rajasthan Royals in the Eliminator on Wednesday.

Kevin Pietersen Recommends Virat Kohli to Join Delhi Capitals to Win IPL Trophy

Kevin Pietersen believes that for Kohli to experience the joy of winning the IPL, a change of scenery could be crucial. Drawing parallels with football stars like Cristiano Ronaldo, who switched clubs to win trophies, Pietersen suggested Delhi Capitals as a potential destination for Kohli.

“I have said it before and I will say it again, the greats of the game in other sports, have left teams to go and seek glory somewhere else. When he has tried and tried so hard, won the Orange Cap yet again and done so much yet again and the franchise fails again, I understand the brand of the team and the commercial value he brings to the team, but Virat Kohli deserves a trophy. He deserves to play in a team that could help him to get that trophy,” Pietersen told Star Sports.

Pietersen also highlighted that his home team Delhi Capitals could be the team Virat Kohli should be headed to next season. “I think it should be Delhi. Delhi is the place where Virat needs to go. Virat can go away, and stay at home most of the time, I know he has a home in Delhi. He has a young family. He can spend more time there. He is a Delhi boy. Why can’t he go back? Delhi is as desperate as Bengaluru,” said the former England batter.

“I think it’s about time Virat thought long and hard. Beckham left, Ronaldo left, Messi left, Harry Kane just left Spurs and went to Bayern Munich,” he further added.

RCB’s season witnessed a remarkable comeback to reach the playoffs after a poor start, only to fall short in the knockout stages. This pattern has persisted, with RCB failing to reach the final in four of the last five seasons despite strong performances in the league stage.

Virat Kohli has repeatedly expressed his commitment to RCB, valuing the loyalty and trust the franchise has shown him since the IPL began. Kohli remains the only player to have stayed with the same franchise for all 17 seasons of the IPL, underscoring his dedication to RCB despite the ongoing trophy drought.

The question remains whether Kohli will consider a move in pursuit of the elusive IPL title or continue to strive for success with RCB.

Share this post!