Virat Kohli Asked By Kevin Pietersen To Leave RCB To End IPL Title Drought, Join This Franchise

For the 17th season in a row, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) ended their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 campaign trophyless. The 6 consecutive wins feat seemed to have brought a never-seen-before hunger in the Bengaluru franchise but Rajasthan Royals ended their winning streak with an impressive victory in the Eliminator on Wednesday. Seeing Kohli end another season trophy-less, former England captain Kevin Pietersen urged the talismanic batter leave RCB and join his hometown club Delhi Capitals in the pursuit of title.

Kohli holds the Orange Cap this season, having aggregated 741 runs in 15 matches before the Rajasthan Royals ended his and his team's journey in the T20 league. While Kohli's bat has produced plenty of runs this season, he hasn't had much support from other batters, while the bowling unit has performed below-par too.

"I have said it before and I will say it again -- the greats of the game in other sports, have left teams to go and seek glory somewhere else. When he has tried and tried so hard -- won the Orange Cap yet again and done so much yet again and the franchise fails again. I understand for the brand of the team and the commercial value he brings to the team... But Virat Kohli deserves a trophy. He deserves to play in a team that could help him to get that trophy," Pietersen said on Star Sports after RCB's elimination from IPL.

Speaking of the franchise Kohli should join, Pietersen advocated the name of Delhi Capitals, especially as the RCB star is a Delhi boy.

"I actually think it should be Delhi. Delhi is the place where Virat needs to go. Virat can go away, and stay at home most of the time, I know he has a home in Delhi. He has a young family. He can spend more time there. He is a Delhi boy. Why can't he go back? Delhi are as desperate as Bengaluru.

"I think it's about time Virat thought long and hard. Beckham left, Ronaldo left, Messi left, Harry Kane just left Spurs and went to Bayern Munich," he added.

Topics mentioned in this article

Royal Challengers Bengaluru Rajasthan Royals Delhi Capitals Virat Kohli Kevin Pietersen IPL 2024 Cricket