Former England captain and renowned commentator Kevin Pietersen has revealed an interesting anecdote about India’s MS Dhoni and his assessment of Virat Kohli a few years ago.
Pietersen, who represented the Rising Pune Supergiant in the Indian Premier League (IPL) back in 2016, revealed how the skipper Dhoni had assessed Indian and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) captain Kohli in terms of certain aspects and the dashing cricketer proved them right.
Speaking on the Star Sports pre-show, Pietersen said: “The guy is an absolute freak show. He has managed to maintain his enthusiasm. He’s maintaining his attacking nature.”
He added, “I remember running in a treadmill when I was playing for the Rising Pune Supergiant five or six years ago and it was amazing. MS Dhoni was saying ‘It’s one thing I am fascinated to watch over the years to come is whether Virat can really keep his energy and attacking nature and excitement intact on the field.’ And here we are 5-6 years later, and he is just like he was when he was a kid.”
The Englishman has found no difference in the present Kohli and the 13 years ago cricketer in his first-ever IPL, saying the way he has set the bar that made him a key figure in Indian cricket and for the fans.
Pietersen signed off by saying, “I remember captaining him at RCB in 2008 and the same kid that walked around in 2008 is the same kid we are saying now. It is spectacular to see because he sets an example which Indian cricket has followed. His diet, athletic ability, fitness, professionalism, and his quest to continuously get better. He is just a hero for Indian cricket.”
