'He has walked the walk' - Kevin Pietersen lauds Virat Kohli's contribution to the turnaround of Indian cricket

After Virat Kohli's match-winning knock for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru against the Punjab Kings in Match 6 of IPL 2024 which won him the Player of the Match award, the star batter said the following during the post-match presentation - "I know my name is nowadays quite attached to just promoting the game in many parts of the world when it comes to T20 cricket. But, I've still got it, I guess.", subtly alluding to his past exploits and immense prowess while playing the 20-over format at the highest level. 

On the eve of RCB's match against PBKS, Pietersen joined former Indian head coach Ravi Shastri in the commentary box for the IPL 2024 clash between the Gujarat Titans and the Mumbai Indians. During the live broadcast, Pietersen expressed his support for Kohli to be a vital cog for India in the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup, to be played in June. Pietersen suggested that Kohli's involvement could boost cricket's popularity in the United States, whereas Shastri advocated for the inclusion of young talent in India's T20 World Cup squad. 

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As Virat seems to have referred to the comments made by Pietersen, the former England skipper lauded fitness freak Kohli for revolutionising Indian cricket. Virat's apparent acknowledgement of Pietersen's remarks prompted the former England skipper to praise the fitness-conscious Kohli for his transformative impact on Indian cricket. He credited Kohli for revamping Indian cricketers into through-and-through athletes and complimented the energy and desire radiated by Kohli while running between the wickets, labelling him the best in the business.

He has turned Indian cricketers into athletes: Pietersen

“One of the things that he has done for Indian cricket is he has turned Indian cricketers into athletes, out-and-out athletes, and while doing so, he's not just talked the talk. He has walked the walk, and you can see that. When he is running between the wickets, his full commitment, energy, and desire is to be the best and he is the best,” Pietersen told Star Sports. 

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Pietersen hailed Kohli's diet, his vigour while at the gym, as well as the countless sacrifices made by him to serve as a paradigm and a role model for young and budding Indian cricketers, also claiming that a turnaround in Indian cricket could be apparently visible due to what he has done for the game of cricket.