Kevin Pietersen’s Bold Statement: Virat Kohli’s Departure from RCB for an IPL Trophy

Former England captain Kevin Pietersen stated on Wednesday that Virat Kohli deserved to win an IPL trophy, but he would have to leave RCB to do so in the future. Pietersen was disappointed that Virat Kohli finished empty-handed after carrying the RCB’s run-scoring burden and topping the batting statistics with 700+ runs in IPL 2024.
 
The renowned batter’s words came after RCB’s 17-year-long title drought extended when they were knocked out in the eliminator in Ahmedabad on Wednesday, May 22.
 
Kevin Pietersen referenced football giants such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Harry Kane, claiming that they all left their previous teams in search of a brighter future and greater success. Pietersen suggested that if Kohli decides to leave RCB, Delhi could be his next destination.
 
RCB’s hopes of breaking their trophy drought were strengthened after they staged a dramatic comeback to get to the playoffs. RCB were at the bottom of the table, having won only one of their first eight matches. They won their last six matches to go to the playoffs. However, RCB succumbed to the Royals by four wickets and failed to defend 172 at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Wednesday.
 
“I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: the greatest players in other sports have left their teams to seek fame elsewhere. When he has tried and tried so hard—won the Orange Cap and done so much yet again—and the franchise collapses again. I understand his contribution to the team’s brand and commercial worth. But Virat Kohli deserves a trophy. “He deserves to play for a team that can help him win that trophy,” Pietersen told Star Sports.
 
“I genuinely believe it should be Delhi. Virat needs to go to Delhi. Virat can go away and spend most of his time at home; I know he has a home in Delhi. He has a young family. He can devote more time there. He is from Delhi. Why can’t he go back? Delhi is as desperate as Bengaluru. 
“I believe Virat should give it some serious attention. Beckham left, Ronaldo left, Messi left, and Harry Kane just left Spurs to join Bayern Munich,” he continued.
 
However, RCB failed to remain composed and complete the task in the play-offs. It is the fourth time in five seasons that RCB has failed to reach the final despite finishing in the top four in the league. Kohli hit a record-breaking 973 runs in 2016, when RCB last reached the final. However, RCB lost to the SunRisers in the finals.
 
Despite all of the speculation over his future with RCB, Virat Kohli has always stated that he wants to conclude his career with the Bengaluru-based franchise. Kohli has frequently spoken about loyalty and has shown gratitude to the RCB for their trust in him since the IPL’s maiden season. The 35-year-old is the only player who has played for the same side in all 17 IPL seasons.