Kevin Pietersen advises Virat Kohli to consider leaving RCB to win IPL title

England legend Kevin Pietersen feels Virat Kohli should join a stronger franchise.

Former England captain Kevin Pietersen has opined that Virat Kohli should ponder leaving Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and seek to be part of a stronger franchise, where he will have a better chance of winning his maiden IPL title.

RCB were knocked out of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 season on Wednesday night by Rajasthan Royals (RR) in the Eliminator at the Narendra Modi International Cricket Stadium in Ahmedabad. Faf du Plessis’ team had made a miraculous entry into the playoffs by winning six games in a row. RCB, though, were gassed out by this game and suffered another heartbreak in the IPL.

Kohli is the only player in IPL history to have played all 17 seasons for a single franchise. He’s won the Orange Cap once and is likely to end up with the award this season as well. However, he and RCB have never won the IPL.

Virat Kohli deserves to play in a team that could help him to get that trophy: Kevin Pietersen

Pietersen, who played alongside Kohli at RCB in 2009 and 2010, has strongly suggested that Kohli should switch his IPL team, having suffered setbacks for 17 seasons.

As quoted by Sportskeeda, Pietersen said, “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 for 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.”

The Englishman added, “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.”

The legendary RCB opener finished his IPL 2024 season with 741 runs, scoring an average of 61 and a strike rate of 154. Kohli cracked 5 fifties and a century this season.

Kohli is expected to be RCB’s first retention ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction. His next assignment will be the ICC T20 World Cup in June in the West Indies and the USA.

For more updates, follow Khel Now Cricket for IPL 2024 Live Score & IPL Points Table,  on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Whatsapp & Telegram.