Rahane handing responsibilities to Kohli will be talked all around the series: Kevin Pietersen

Former England captain Kevin Pietersen believes that it is going to be an interesting dynamic to see Virat Kohli leading the Indian team instead of Ajinkya Rahane in the Test series against England after the latter scripted a wonderful victory against Australia in the four-match Border Gavaskar Trophy by 2-1. Pietersen is of the view that Virat taking charge from Rahane will constantly make headlines throughout the Test series.

India and England will lock horns against each other in the four-match Test series, starting from February 5 at MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. While Rahane had captained the team in the absence of Kohli in the last three Tests against Australia and had not lost any of them, Virat will be again seen donning the captain hat in the England series.

Speaking on Star Sports’ show Cricket Connected, Pietersen asserted, “Kohli, Anderson, Ajinkya Rahane, how’s he going to go, being captain in Australia and then coming back and Kohli, how’s that dynamic going to work? It’s going to be a very interesting dynamic… something that is talked about a lot during this series.”

“There are so many different permutations that could happen in this Test series, but I think there’s going to be a very interesting story that’s going to run through this series — Kohli comes back as captain after Ajinkya Rahane was so good in Australia,” Kevin added.

India are definitely favourites: Kevin Pietersen

Further in the interaction, the 40-year-old veteran picked the hosts as the favourites to win the marquee series as he believes that England aren’t entering the contest with their best team in order to give rest to the players. While opening on who can excel the series, Pietersen reckoned that both India and England have many superstars but the series is just going to be fantastic to watch.

“India’s got experience at home, they definitely do. They’ve got Kohli coming back. India are definitely favourites. 100 percent they’re the favourites, because England haven’t taken their best team or they’re certainly not starting with their best team.

“Here are too many superstars for me to sit here and pick one player in particular. I just think that it’s going to be a fantastic series – slow wickets, but two great teams,” Pietersen concluded.