NEW DELHI: Former England batter Kevin Pietersen‘s suggestion for Virat Kohli to consider moving to another franchise from RCB to fulfill his dream of winning an IPL trophy did not go well with former Pakistan skipper Wasim Akram.
Pietersen emphasized that great athletes in various sports have changed teams to achieve their goals, and Kohli might need to do the same.
“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,” Pietersen said on Star Sports
In response to Pietersen’s comment, Akram expressed his firm disagreement, emphasizing that the choice to continue playing with RCB rests solely with Kohli himself.
Akram asserted that if Kohli has no intention of leaving RCB, then engaging in such discussions is futile.
“I’ve a very strict answer. Kevin is a very good friend of mine. All these foreign ex-players, who do the commentary, they tweet about everything related to India. I’m all for it… it’s probably right but it’s not a big deal for me. It’s a big deal for Kohli, maybe. He wants to win for RCB, what would changing the team do for him, then? He wants to win for RCB, that’s his call. That’s my opinion. I don’t want to speak on everything, that’s what I’ve learned,” Akram told Sportskeeda.
Pietersen emphasized that great athletes in various sports have changed teams to achieve their goals, and Kohli might need to do the same.
“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,” Pietersen said on Star Sports
In response to Pietersen’s comment, Akram expressed his firm disagreement, emphasizing that the choice to continue playing with RCB rests solely with Kohli himself.
Akram asserted that if Kohli has no intention of leaving RCB, then engaging in such discussions is futile.
“I’ve a very strict answer. Kevin is a very good friend of mine. All these foreign ex-players, who do the commentary, they tweet about everything related to India. I’m all for it… it’s probably right but it’s not a big deal for me. It’s a big deal for Kohli, maybe. He wants to win for RCB, what would changing the team do for him, then? He wants to win for RCB, that’s his call. That’s my opinion. I don’t want to speak on everything, that’s what I’ve learned,” Akram told Sportskeeda.
