"The turnaround in Indian cricket is because of what he has done" - Kevin Pietersen's massive praise for Virat Kohli during RCB vs PBKS in IPL 2024
Former England cricketer Kevin Pietersen recently said he was impressed by how Virat Kohli has been able to change the fitness culture in not just the Indian team but in Indian cricket as a whole.
Pietersen shed light on how Kohli has led by example and does not just dictate terms to others when it comes to fitness. The star Indian batter himself has set the bar in terms of fitness and that is seen in his consistent performances.
Speaking to Star Sports, Kevin Pietersen highlighted how quick Virat Kohli ran between the wickets during Royal Challengers Bengaluru's (RCB) chase against the Punjab Kings (PBKS) on Tuesday. He said:
"He (Kohli) has turned Indian cricketers into athletes, out-and-out athletes. And while doing so, he hasn't just talked the talk. He has walked the talk and you can see that. When he is running between the wickets, his energy, commitment, and desire is to be the best and he is the best."
Pietersen further added:
"That starts before the field, that starts with diet, the energy which he puts in the gym, with the sacrifices he has to make to walk the talk. The turnaround in Indian cricket is because of what he has done."
Kohli played a sensational knock of 77 off just 49 balls as RCB beat PBKS by four wickets with four balls to spare.
Kevin Pietersen believes Virat Kohli is one of the greatest finishers of all time
Kevin Pietersen is in awe of Virat Kohli for the number of times the latter played a major role in a successful chase throughout his career. With the game against Punjab becoming another example of the same, Pietersen believes Kohli will go down as one of the greatest finishers of the game.
On this, he stated:
"One of the things everyone will remember and will make the greatest memories as a player will be him (Kohli) finishing innings and being one of the greatest finishers of all time."
Kohli is currently the holder of the Orange Cap with 98 runs from two matches. RCB will next play the Kolkata Knight Riders at home on Friday, March 29.