"If Sportsman Pulls Out...": Kevin Pietersen On Virat Kohli's Late Test Withdrawal

23.01.2024 - 07:45 sports.ndtv.com

Indian cricket team star batter Virat Kohli opted out of the first two Test matches of the five-match series against England citing 'personal reasons'.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the news on Monday and said that the replacement will be named in the near future.

In the official statement, BCCI also urged the media and fans to respect Virat's privacy and not speculate on the reason behind his absence.

Legendary England batter Kevin Pietersen echoed similar sentiments on social media as he support Virat and said that people should respect it if a sportsperson pulls out due to personal reasons. "If a sportsman pulls out for personal reasons, RESPECT IT!

cricket India Cricket Team England Cricket Team 2024 withdrawal Test on Virat Kohli Kevin Pietersen Harry Brook South Africa India Afghanistan

Former South Africa captain Dean Elgar, who announced his retirement from international cricket earlier this month, has made a shocking revelation from the Proteas' tour of India in 2015. Elgar claimed that former India captain Virat Kohli "spat" at him during the first Test of a four-match series at the IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali. Notably, the series against South Africa was Kohli's first at home as captain. Elgar also revealed that he threatened to hit Kohli had he done the same thing again.

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The news of Virat Kohli's sudden withdrawal from the first Two Tests against England left all the fans utterly shocked. As per the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Kohli has cited 'personal reasons' for skipping the first two matches. As the first Test will kick-start from Thursday in Hyderabad, everyone is eagerly waiting to see that who will be replacing the star India batter in the squad. As per reports, Royal Challengers Bangalore star Rajat Patidar has been picked to replace Kohli in the Indian squad for the first two matches.

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