The “harsh” bio-bubble life, according to former England captain Kevin Pietersen, could have been one of the factors behind Virat Kohli’s shocking decision to resign as Test captain, and he has backed Rohit Sharma to lead India in all formats of the game going forward.
Following India’s 1-2 series loss to South Africa, Kohli shocked the cricketing world by announcing his resignation from the Test captaincy position.
The BCCI and he engaged in a verbal battle over the sequence of events that led to these developments after he stepped down as T20 captain following the World Cup last year and was subsequently removed from ODI captaincy.
“People who are critical of modern-day athletes, I believe, are being foolish because these bio-bubbles are extremely difficult to play in,” the former England star batsman told PTI during a group interaction on the sidelines of the Legends League Cricket tournament here.
To be too harsh, to be too critical, will be extremely unfair to the other person. Because you haven’t taken a single glance at Virat Kohli. In his reflections on sportspeople’s lives in a COVID-torn world, he concluded that Kohli requires crowds in order to get going and that he is an entertainer. “I believe it is very difficult for his personality to perform to the best of his (Kohli’s) abilities (in the bubble).”
Kohli, 33, held the record for the most Test victories by an Indian captain (40), with only Graeme Smith, Ricky Ponting, and Steve Waugh having amassed more victories than him.
Pietersen stated that he was not surprised by Kohli’s decision to step down as captain in all formats.
“There have been a lot of players who have suffered. It is the most rewarding job on the planet. “However, if you put them in a bubble, it’s not the best job because there’s no fun,” the 41-year-old said emphatically.
The coach added, “I’m actually not surprised that Virat wants to take just a little break from all of the extra pressure because it’s damn difficult to play in these bubbles.”
I find it extremely difficult to judge all international athletes, whether they are premier league footballers or any other athletes from around the world who are participating in a pandemic.
In his opinion, Pietersen would not have performed well for the past two years if there had not been a large number of people in the stadiums.
“As a batter, I feed off the energy of fans, and there are a lot of these players, whether they’re playing football, rugby, or tennis,” says the pitcher.
Pant’s time will come, and Rohit Sharma should be the captain
In the absence of Rohit Sharma, India’s vice-captain KL Rahul is captaining the team in the ongoing One-Day International series in South Africa.
When he returns to fitness, Pietersen expects Rohit to captain India in all formats of the game.
The powerful batter is expected to return for the home limited-overs series against the West Indies, which will take place next month.
“‘Hitman’ Rohit Sharma has always been a favourite of mine. He’s a fantastic player, and I have to pay attention to him whenever he’s at the plate. His captaincy has also been beneficial to the Mumbai Indians. In that case, he’s most likely the next in line,” Pietersen speculated.
Former Indian captain Rishabh Pant received support recently from the legendary Sunil Gavaskar, but Pietersen stated that the wicketkeeper’s turn would come later.
“You have a plethora of options…
Pant, on the other hand, has not yet, but perhaps one day… However, when you have players like Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul on your team, you have some truly formidable cricketers.”
Rahul Dravid has my complete confidence in his ability to navigate the transition period.
Pietersen also expressed confidence in India’s head coach, Rahul Dravid, to guide the team through the transition period that has been thrust upon them.
“Rahul Dravid is one of my favourite players. I’m looking forward to seeing how he progresses on the national team. He has done wonders for the young people in his care…. “I’m looking forward to seeing how he develops with the senior players,” Pietersen stated.
The Legends League will help to develop the sport in Oman
The Englishman is a member of the World Giants, who will begin their campaign against the Asian Lions team in the Legends League Cricket tournament here on Friday night..
“Believe me when I say that once you cross the white line, you want to perform well. It’s something we’re all looking forward to. Season one will be difficult for the guys simply because of a lack of preparation time, but when season two begins in September, they will be much better prepared than they were in season one. “It is our responsibility to develop the game in this area,” he said.