<p>England legends, including Kevin Pietersen and Stuart Broad, were left flabbergasted after selectors overlooked Harry Brook from the provisional Cricket World Cup 2023 squad. The promising cricketer should have been first to be on that flight to India, feels recently-retired Broad, while KP still thinks Brook will somehow gatecrash into the final 15 before the first game gets underway between England and New Zealand on October 5.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">My view - Harry Brook will play in England’s first game at the CWC!</p>
— Kevin Pietersen🦏 (@KP24) <a href="https://twitter.com/KP24/status/1694251897756979593?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 23, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>With the return of two-time World Cup-winning all-rounder Ben Stokes into the squad, who reversed his ODI retirement decision to remain available for selection, Brook’s place in the side got compromised.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/post-pictures-not-confidential-information-bcci-schools-players-after-kohli-reveals-yo-yo-score-on-instagram-629042">Post pictures, not confidential information: BCCI schools players after Kohli reveals Yo-Yo score on Instagram</a></p>

<p>Broad, who played with Brooks since his debut in Tests last year, said had he been asked a couple of months ago who would be the first to get picked across all formats as things stand, he would have said Harry Brook.</p>

<p>Speaking with Sky Sports recently, Broad said, "If you had asked me a couple of months ago whether I saw an England side - Test, ODI, T20 - without Brook in it, I would have said no. He is such a brilliant player and will be fantastic in the future, but ultimately Stokes is a born match-winner and must come back in."</p>

<p>Ben Stokes’ inclusion brings a sense of jubilation among fans, given what he brings to the table and even Brook while addressing the elephant in the room said, "[He] is one of the best players to ever play cricket, so I can't really complain, can I? Obviously, it's disappointing but I can't do anything about it now. You've just got to move on. I'm trying not to think about it anymore."</p>

<h2>Hard to slot Brook in a star-studded England squad</h2>

<p>England’s provisional World Cup squad is a star-studded one, and even if one tries to pick the odd one out to bring Brook into the side, it’s hard to pinpoint any.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Looking into trimming the bowling department for the same, chief selector Luke Wright feels that cannot be done, considering the Cricket World Cup is a long tournament, and injuries to bowlers are bound to happen.</p>

<p>"We feel we need a couple of extra seamers, with the natural way of seamers getting injured, and the guys in the squad do have an injury record. It's more likely a few bowlers go down, so we're having to cover ourselves seam-wise."</p>

<p>Out of internationals at least until the World Cup ends, Brook is said to be among the travel reserves for the mega event.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>


England legends, including Kevin Pietersen and Stuart Broad, were left flabbergasted after selectors overlooked Harry Brook from the provisional Cricket World Cup 2023 squad.

England legends, including Kevin Pietersen and Stuart Broad, were left flabbergasted after selectors overlooked Harry Brook from the provisional Cricket World Cup 2023 squad. The promising cricketer should have been first to be on that flight to India, feels recently-retired Broad, while KP still thinks Brook will somehow gatecrash into the final 15 before the first game gets underway between England and New Zealand on October 5. My view - Harry Brook will play in England’s first game at the CWC! — Kevin Pietersen🦏 (@KP24) August 23, 2023 × With the return of two-time World Cup-winning all-rounder Ben Stokes into the squad, who reversed his ODI retirement decision to remain available for selection, Brook’s place in the side got compromised. ALSO READ: Post pictures, not confidential information: BCCI schools players after Kohli reveals Yo-Yo score on Instagram Broad, who played with Brooks since his debut in Tests last year, said had he been asked a couple of months ago who would be the first to get picked across all formats as things stand, he would have said Harry Brook. Speaking with Sky Sports recently, Broad said, "If you had asked me a couple of months ago whether I saw an England side - Test, ODI, T20 - without Brook in it, I would have said no. He is such a brilliant player and will be fantastic in the future, but ultimately Stokes is a born match-winner and must come back in." Ben Stokes’ inclusion brings a sense of jubilation among fans, given what he brings to the table and even Brook while addressing the elephant in the room said, "[He] is one of the best players to ever play cricket, so I can't really complain, can I? Obviously, it's disappointing but I can't do anything about it now. You've just got to move on. I'm trying not to think about it anymore." Hard to slot Brook in a star-studded England squad England’s provisional World Cup squad is a star-studded one, and even if one tries to pick the odd one out to bring Brook into the side, it’s hard to pinpoint any. Looking into trimming the bowling department for the same, chief selector Luke Wright feels that cannot be done, considering the Cricket World Cup is a long tournament, and injuries to bowlers are bound to happen. "We feel we need a couple of extra seamers, with the natural way of seamers getting injured, and the guys in the squad do have an injury record. It's more likely a few bowlers go down, so we're having to cover ourselves seam-wise." Out of internationals at least until the World Cup ends, Brook is said to be among the travel reserves for the mega event. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

KP, Broad upset with Brook's exclusion from ENG CWC squad, batter backs 'future star' to gatecrash in final 15

<p><meta name="uuid" content="uuidqeNG3YRNj1q0" /><meta charset="utf-8" /></p>

<p>Nathan Lyon showed heart and courage when he walked out to bat after the fall of the ninth Australian wicket in the second innings on Saturday despite presumably being ruled out (for bowling) of the Lord's Test due to a calf tear earlier. While the crowd was on its feet to appreciate Lyon for doing what he did, former England captain Kevin Pietersen, sitting in the commentary box, made a statement that didn’t sit well with most cricket fans and Lyon too.</p>

<p>Batting with one leg, playing some shots too, and even taking a single, Lyon had a tough time in the middle, but Pietersen opined if the Australia bowling great has done all of this with the possibility of his team getting a concussion substitute to replace him if he were to get hit amid England's relentless short-ball barrage.</p>

<p>Pietersen said, "Imagine if he [Lyon] had been hit on the head and got a concussion, he'd have got a like-for-like replacement and a world-class spinner [Todd Murphy], based on how he performed in India, it gives food for thought.”&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ashes-2023-australia-favourite-to-win-second-test-england-four-down-with-257-to-win-on-day-5-610935">Ashes 2023: Australia favourite to win second Test, England four down with 257 to win on day 5</a></p>

<p>Replying to KP, Lyon sounded disappointed, saying he already had lost a mate, a friend in Philip Hughes, to injury in the past, and in that context or otherwise, this was a poor comment to make.</p>

<p>"Test cricket's been around a lot longer than I have, and injuries are part of the game.</p>

<p>"I have heard comments that I only went out there to get hit in the head, but I'm really against that. I have lost one of my mates due to being hit in the head, so I think that's a really poor conversation being had, if I'm honest with you,” Lyon replied to KP’s comments during the presser after the fourth day’s play.</p>

<h2>‘I will do anything for the team’</h2>

<p>Everyone appreciated Lyon for taking the risk and coming onto the bat, knowing he cannot walk properly, let alone run and is not considered the best striker of the ball. Against all odds, he still managed a 15-run stand for the final wicket with Mitchell Starc and said he is ready to do anything for the team, and given a chance again, he will go for it.</p>

<p>"I knew the risks," he said. "But the way I look at it... I'll do anything for this team. You never know how big a 15-run partnership can be in an Ashes series. I'm proud of myself for going out there and doing that. I'll do it again and again and again. I love this team. I love playing cricket for Australia. And if I can keep playing my role and help out my teammates, I'll do that," Lyon added.</p>

<p>Meanwhile, Australia&nbsp;stand&nbsp;tall as things stand. With England needing 257 more runs with only six wickets left, the visitors have a real chance of sealing the second Test and taking a 2-0 lead in the series.</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>


Nathan Lyon showed heart and courage when he walked out to bat after the fall of the ninth Australian wicket in the second innings on Saturday despite presumably being ruled out (for bowling) of the Lord's Test due to a calf tear earlier.

Nathan Lyon showed heart and courage when he walked out to bat after the fall of the ninth Australian wicket in the second innings on Saturday despite presumably being ruled out (for bowling) of the Lord's Test due to a calf tear earlier. While the crowd was on its feet to appreciate Lyon for doing what he did, former England captain Kevin Pietersen, sitting in the commentary box, made a statement that didn’t sit well with most cricket fans and Lyon too. Batting with one leg, playing some shots too, and even taking a single, Lyon had a tough time in the middle, but Pietersen opined if the Australia bowling great has done all of this with the possibility of his team getting a concussion substitute to replace him if he were to get hit amid England's relentless short-ball barrage. Pietersen said, "Imagine if he [Lyon] had been hit on the head and got a concussion, he'd have got a like-for-like replacement and a world-class spinner [Todd Murphy], based on how he performed in India, it gives food for thought.” ALSO READ: Ashes 2023: Australia favourite to win second Test, England four down with 257 to win on day 5 Replying to KP, Lyon sounded disappointed, saying he already had lost a mate, a friend in Philip Hughes, to injury in the past, and in that context or otherwise, this was a poor comment to make. "Test cricket's been around a lot longer than I have, and injuries are part of the game. "I have heard comments that I only went out there to get hit in the head, but I'm really against that. I have lost one of my mates due to being hit in the head, so I think that's a really poor conversation being had, if I'm honest with you,” Lyon replied to KP’s comments during the presser after the fourth day’s play. ‘I will do anything for the team’ Everyone appreciated Lyon for taking the risk and coming onto the bat, knowing he cannot walk properly, let alone run and is not considered the best striker of the ball. Against all odds, he still managed a 15-run stand for the final wicket with Mitchell Starc and said he is ready to do anything for the team, and given a chance again, he will go for it. "I knew the risks," he said. "But the way I look at it... I'll do anything for this team. You never know how big a 15-run partnership can be in an Ashes series. I'm proud of myself for going out there and doing that. I'll do it again and again and again. I love this team. I love playing cricket for Australia. And if I can keep playing my role and help out my teammates, I'll do that," Lyon added. Meanwhile, Australia stand tall as things stand. With England needing 257 more runs with only six wickets left, the visitors have a real chance of sealing the second Test and taking a 2-0 lead in the series. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Ashes: 'Brave' Nathan Lyon tears into Kevin Pietersen for his 'concussion advantage' remark

<p><meta name="uuid" content="uuidtFGl7s6xS341" /><meta charset="utf-8" /></p>

<p>Bazball was over the place before the Ashes 2023 started; however, after Australia played seven good days of cricket in this series, the English pundits, former players and even fans began questioning the same tactics. While experts have urged the English team to put aside the spectacle style of play and go for the win, ex-captain and Ashes hero, Kevin Pietersen slammed the ‘good vibe’ between both teams so far.</p>

<p>Following the start on day one of the ongoing Lord’s Test, Stuart Broad and David Warner were seen chatting - something that irked Pietersen, who wants to see a fierce contest and not a friendly tie between both teams. Speaking on Sky Sports earlier also, Pietersen came down hard on England’s tactics that saw Australia pile up 300 plus at stumps on day one; and then after the day's play, he tweeted this,&nbsp;</p>

<p>‘Come on, @englandcricket ! Stand tall today and take it to the Australians. Stop being so nice and get some mongrel in you! Take those 5 wickets quick and bat well!&nbsp;</p>

<p>This is The Ashes and not an exhibition game! 👊🏽</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Come on, <a href="https://twitter.com/englandcricket?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@englandcricket</a> !<br />
Stand tall today and take it to the Australians. Stop being so nice and get some mongrel in you! Take those 5 wickets quick and bat well!<br />
This is The Ashes and not an exhibition game! 👊🏽</p>
— Kevin Pietersen🦏 (@KP24) <a href="https://twitter.com/KP24/status/1674299571806040064?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 29, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>Replying to him, Pietersen’s former teammate and fast bowler, Steve Harmison, disagreed with his rant and said there is a time and place for everything, but because Kevin gets paid to express his opinion, so be it.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ashes-2023-nathan-lyons-injury-doesnt-look-good-its-a-big-loss-for-us-says-steve-smith-610348">Ashes 2023: 'Nathan Lyon's injury doesn't look good, it's a big loss for us,' says Steve Smith</a></p>

<p>Given the not-so-rich history between Pietersen and some of his ex-teammates - especially regarding dressing room relationships, Harmison felt Kevin’s remarks might not be well-received by the English dressing room. Though Harmison justified England’s gameplay so far, saying the hosts had just gone through a few bad days in Tests for one year and should not be judged so quickly on that.</p>

<p>“I don’t think it was justified,” Harmison said interview with talkSPORT. “I think this team has had one or two bad days in 12-13 months. I think some of the stuff that they were having a go at them (for), too matey, I think there’s a time and a place.”&nbsp;</p>

<p>“But they’re in the mainstream media, they’re paid to give their opinion, and I’m not going to knock Kevin for having his opinion – he’s always had it," Harmison added.</p>

<h2>Harmison cites past examples</h2>

<p>Harmison even went on to say Pietersen was always forceful with his opinions, and even back then, those were not well received by the ones in the dressing room. However, he mentioned he was one of those who could give KP a shut-up call.</p>

<p>“He was always forceful with it, it wasn’t always warranted, it wasn’t always best received! I’m sure it wasn’t best received in the England dressing room (ahead of day two), it certainly wasn’t best received by the England dressing room when we were in it!" Harmison took a dig at Pietersen.</p>

<p>“But a few of us could say to Kevin, in no uncertain terms, to shut up. But he’s getting paid to give his opinion,” Harmison added.</p>

<p>Meanwhile, as things stand, England is reeling at 278 for four and is 138 runs behind Australia’s first-innings total.</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>


Bazball was over the place before the Ashes 2023 started; however, after Australia played seven good days of cricket in this series, the English pundits, former players and even fans began questioning the same tactics.

Bazball was over the place before the Ashes 2023 started; however, after Australia played seven good days of cricket in this series, the English pundits, former players and even fans began questioning the same tactics. While experts have urged the English team to put aside the spectacle style of play and go for the win, ex-captain and Ashes hero, Kevin Pietersen slammed the ‘good vibe’ between both teams so far. Following the start on day one of the ongoing Lord’s Test, Stuart Broad and David Warner were seen chatting - something that irked Pietersen, who wants to see a fierce contest and not a friendly tie between both teams. Speaking on Sky Sports earlier also, Pietersen came down hard on England’s tactics that saw Australia pile up 300 plus at stumps on day one; and then after the day's play, he tweeted this, ‘Come on, @englandcricket ! Stand tall today and take it to the Australians. Stop being so nice and get some mongrel in you! Take those 5 wickets quick and bat well! This is The Ashes and not an exhibition game! 👊🏽 Come on, @englandcricket ! Stand tall today and take it to the Australians. Stop being so nice and get some mongrel in you! Take those 5 wickets quick and bat well! This is The Ashes and not an exhibition game! 👊🏽 — Kevin Pietersen🦏 (@KP24) June 29, 2023 × Replying to him, Pietersen’s former teammate and fast bowler, Steve Harmison, disagreed with his rant and said there is a time and place for everything, but because Kevin gets paid to express his opinion, so be it. ALSO READ: Ashes 2023: 'Nathan Lyon's injury doesn't look good, it's a big loss for us,' says Steve Smith Given the not-so-rich history between Pietersen and some of his ex-teammates - especially regarding dressing room relationships, Harmison felt Kevin’s remarks might not be well-received by the English dressing room. Though Harmison justified England’s gameplay so far, saying the hosts had just gone through a few bad days in Tests for one year and should not be judged so quickly on that. “I don’t think it was justified,” Harmison said interview with talkSPORT. “I think this team has had one or two bad days in 12-13 months. I think some of the stuff that they were having a go at them (for), too matey, I think there’s a time and a place.” “But they’re in the mainstream media, they’re paid to give their opinion, and I’m not going to knock Kevin for having his opinion – he’s always had it," Harmison added. Harmison cites past examples Harmison even went on to say Pietersen was always forceful with his opinions, and even back then, those were not well received by the ones in the dressing room. However, he mentioned he was one of those who could give KP a shut-up call. “He was always forceful with it, it wasn’t always warranted, it wasn’t always best received! I’m sure it wasn’t best received in the England dressing room (ahead of day two), it certainly wasn’t best received by the England dressing room when we were in it!" Harmison took a dig at Pietersen. “But a few of us could say to Kevin, in no uncertain terms, to shut up. But he’s getting paid to give his opinion,” Harmison added. Meanwhile, as things stand, England is reeling at 278 for four and is 138 runs behind Australia’s first-innings total. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Ashes 2023: Former English players argue over 'tactics' as Bazball bites back following Australia's domination

<p>England is still reeling from the defeat in the first Ashes Test. Skipper Ben Stokes' decision of having two wickets in hand and declaring the first innings in the opening Test of the series did not go down well with a section of cricket fans and critics. Former England cricketer Kevin Pietersen broke his silence on Ben Stokes’ questionable move in the first game. Pietersen even recalled going straight to England head coach Brendon McCullum and asking him to explain the decision. The former England batter made the comments during an interaction with ex-England captain Nasser Hussain.</p>

<h2><br />
What Kevin Pietersen said</h2>

<p>“I love the positivity. But it’s just this series, in particular, that I still need to get my head around. I actually walked up to McCullum on the Saturday and said, ‘Please explain this to me because I don’t understand it’. I have done that my whole career. I gave you a spray in Australia in 2006. I was like, ‘Dude what are you saying and why are you saying this?'" Pietersen said as quoted by Daily Mail. Pietersen, at the same time, admitted that red-ball cricket needs something to turn itself around.</p>

<h2><br />
<strong>First Ashes Test</strong></h2>

<p>England Test skipper Ben Stokes had declared the innings with almost 20 minutes remaining on day one of the first Ashes Test. The decision is still being scrutinised thoroughly. Stokes has defended the move, saying that the team thought of getting a breakthrough at the end of the day.<br />
<br />
England lost the nail-biting Edgbaston Test. The visitors clinched a thrilling two-wicket win to secure a 1-0 lead in the Ashes. It was a close fight between the two arch-rivals throughout all five days. Australia had the last laugh after putting up a commendable batting performance on the final day. Aussie captain Pat Cummins stitched a 55-run partnership for the ninth wicket with Nathan Lyon to earn an epic victory for his side. Australia batter Usman Khawaja was adjudged Man of the Match. The southpaw notched a brilliant century in the first innings. In the second innings, Khawaja came up with a courageous knock of 65.<br />
<br />
The second Test match between England and Australia is scheduled to start from June 28 at the Lord’s.</p>


England is still reeling from the defeat in the first Ashes Test. Skipper Ben Stokes' decision of having two wickets in hand and declaring the first innings in the opening Test of the series did not go down well with a section of cricket fans and critics.

England is still reeling from the defeat in the first Ashes Test. Skipper Ben Stokes' decision of having two wickets in hand and declaring the first innings in the opening Test of the series did not go down well with a section of cricket fans and critics. Former England cricketer Kevin Pietersen broke his silence on Ben Stokes’ questionable move in the first game. Pietersen even recalled going straight to England head coach Brendon McCullum and asking him to explain the decision. The former England batter made the comments during an interaction with ex-England captain Nasser Hussain. What Kevin Pietersen said “I love the positivity. But it’s just this series, in particular, that I still need to get my head around. I actually walked up to McCullum on the Saturday and said, ‘Please explain this to me because I don’t understand it’. I have done that my whole career. I gave you a spray in Australia in 2006. I was like, ‘Dude what are you saying and why are you saying this?'" Pietersen said as quoted by Daily Mail. Pietersen, at the same time, admitted that red-ball cricket needs something to turn itself around. First Ashes Test England Test skipper Ben Stokes had declared the innings with almost 20 minutes remaining on day one of the first Ashes Test. The decision is still being scrutinised thoroughly. Stokes has defended the move, saying that the team thought of getting a breakthrough at the end of the day. England lost the nail-biting Edgbaston Test. The visitors clinched a thrilling two-wicket win to secure a 1-0 lead in the Ashes. It was a close fight between the two arch-rivals throughout all five days. Australia had the last laugh after putting up a commendable batting performance on the final day. Aussie captain Pat Cummins stitched a 55-run partnership for the ninth wicket with Nathan Lyon to earn an epic victory for his side. Australia batter Usman Khawaja was adjudged Man of the Match. The southpaw notched a brilliant century in the first innings. In the second innings, Khawaja came up with a courageous knock of 65. The second Test match between England and Australia is scheduled to start from June 28 at the Lord’s.

Ashes 2023: Kevin Pietersen schools Coach Brendon McCullum on Edgbaston loss

<p>Kevin Pietersen was left disappointed with England’s decision to declare their innings after producing 393 runs on the opening day of the first Ashes Test at Edgbaston. While analysing England’s performance in the first innings, Pieterson anticipated that a 400-plus total would be more comfortable lead against a star-studded batting unit like Australia, putting stress on the psychological factor. Also, the former English batter doubted the Edgbaston track could become more handy for the batters as the game progressed to the second day and beyond. If that happens, a solid lead in the first innings would make things easier for Ben Stokes and Co. “It is a wicket that did get better for batting, and I guess tomorrow might be the most beautiful day. For this reason, I didn't like the declaration,” Pietersen said on Sky Sports, as quoted by Sportskeeda.</p>

<h2><strong>Kevin Pietersen on England's decision</strong></h2>

<p>In a&nbsp;bid to substantiate&nbsp;his thoughts, Kevin Pietersen dug out the reference to England's rescheduled Test against India at Edgbaston last year. India could post a decent 416 in the first innings, which seemed a good total initially. But it didn’t work as the pitch had nothing for the bowlers when England began their chase in the fourth innings. The Three Lions finally prevailed on the occasion, comfortably chasing down 378 runs to pick up a seven-wicket victory.</p>

<p>“We will find out if it was the right decision. For some reason, I was usually instructed to reach 400-450 runs in the opening innings of a Test match. I know they're close, but it's psychological. Maybe I'm being too critical. I'm not sure, let’s see,” Pietersen explained further.</p>

<h2><strong>Ashes 2023: Nasser Hussain thinks otherwise</strong></h2>

<p>Another country legend, Nasser Hussain however showed his faith in England’s decision. Anticipating the reason behind it, the former England captain said that Ben Stokes might consider Stuart Broad’s dominance against Aussie opener David Warner and wanted to get rid of the big man early when the ball remains new on Day 2.</p>

<p>Whenever England and Australia have squared off for a red-ball clash, the duel between Broad and Warner has always been an event to watch. The English pacer has so far dismissed Warner 14 times in Test, conceding 397 runs off 721 balls at an average of 28.4.</p>

<p>England stuck to their aggressive approach batting first in the first Ashes Test. Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow shone with the bat for the hosts, scoring 118 and 78 runs. Opener Zak Crawley also pulled off a good start and contributed 61 runs to the scoresheet. At the end of Day 1, Australia were batting at 14 runs with both openers unbeaten at the crease.<br />
&nbsp;</p>


Kevin Pietersen was left disappointed with England’s decision to declare their innings after producing 393 runs on the opening day of the first Ashes Test at Edgbaston.

Kevin Pietersen was left disappointed with England’s decision to declare their innings after producing 393 runs on the opening day of the first Ashes Test at Edgbaston. While analysing England’s performance in the first innings, Pieterson anticipated that a 400-plus total would be more comfortable lead against a star-studded batting unit like Australia, putting stress on the psychological factor. Also, the former English batter doubted the Edgbaston track could become more handy for the batters as the game progressed to the second day and beyond. If that happens, a solid lead in the first innings would make things easier for Ben Stokes and Co. “It is a wicket that did get better for batting, and I guess tomorrow might be the most beautiful day. For this reason, I didn't like the declaration,” Pietersen said on Sky Sports, as quoted by Sportskeeda. Kevin Pietersen on England's decision In a bid to substantiate his thoughts, Kevin Pietersen dug out the reference to England's rescheduled Test against India at Edgbaston last year. India could post a decent 416 in the first innings, which seemed a good total initially. But it didn’t work as the pitch had nothing for the bowlers when England began their chase in the fourth innings. The Three Lions finally prevailed on the occasion, comfortably chasing down 378 runs to pick up a seven-wicket victory. “We will find out if it was the right decision. For some reason, I was usually instructed to reach 400-450 runs in the opening innings of a Test match. I know they're close, but it's psychological. Maybe I'm being too critical. I'm not sure, let’s see,” Pietersen explained further. Ashes 2023: Nasser Hussain thinks otherwise Another country legend, Nasser Hussain however showed his faith in England’s decision. Anticipating the reason behind it, the former England captain said that Ben Stokes might consider Stuart Broad’s dominance against Aussie opener David Warner and wanted to get rid of the big man early when the ball remains new on Day 2. Whenever England and Australia have squared off for a red-ball clash, the duel between Broad and Warner has always been an event to watch. The English pacer has so far dismissed Warner 14 times in Test, conceding 397 runs off 721 balls at an average of 28.4. England stuck to their aggressive approach batting first in the first Ashes Test. Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow shone with the bat for the hosts, scoring 118 and 78 runs. Opener Zak Crawley also pulled off a good start and contributed 61 runs to the scoresheet. At the end of Day 1, Australia were batting at 14 runs with both openers unbeaten at the crease.

Ashes 2023: Kevin Pietersen criticises England’s decision to declare below 400 on Day 1

<p>Dramatic scenes unfolded in Ahmedabad during the last over of this season’s Indian Premier League (IPL) final between Chennai Super Kings and Gujarat Titans. With four runs needed to win off the last delivery, Ravindra Jadeja guided Mohit Sharma’s low full toss between short fine leg and the wicketkeeper for a boundary. Following the shot, Chennai cricketers broke into a euphoric celebration at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. The scene, however, was no less exhilarated in the commentary box. Former England skipper Kevin Pietersen shared a video which perfectly encapsulated the mood of his fellow commentators, following Jadeja’s match-winning stroke. Sharing the video on Twitter, Pietersen wrote, “A privilege to be there at the end with Ravi Shastri and Ian Bishop. Two great callers of the game! Congrats CSK and thank you to every single person who was a part of this season's IPL!”</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">A privilege to be there at the end with <a href="https://twitter.com/RaviShastriOfc?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RaviShastriOfc</a> &amp; <a href="https://twitter.com/irbishi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@irbishi</a>. Two great callers of the game! 🙏🏽<br />
Congrats CSK &amp; thank you to every single person who was a part of this seasons IPL! 👊🏽 <a href="https://t.co/RW1DHRnmo0">pic.twitter.com/RW1DHRnmo0</a></p>
— Kevin Pietersen🦏 (@KP24) <a href="https://twitter.com/KP24/status/1663297699737731072?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 29, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>While Ravi Shastri stood up to get a clear sense of the outcome of the final ball, his co-commentator Ian Bishop was heard screaming in sheer ecstasy, “Never bet against MS Dhoni and CSK.” Kevin Pietersen, on the other hand, seemed utterly shell-shocked by the manner in which Chennai Super Kings won their fifth IPL title.</p>

<p>The clip went viral in no time garnering more than 4.6 lakh views on Twitter.</p>

<h2><strong>Fans salute Dhoni and his team&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>One user, quite aptly, summed up Kevin Pietersen’s reaction by commenting, “You looked shocked and sad, KP.”</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">you looked shocked and sad kp 😂😒</p>
— Neeche Se Topper (@NeecheSeTopper) <a href="https://twitter.com/NeecheSeTopper/status/1663298811178131457?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 29, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>Echoing a similar sentiment, another social media user tweeted, “Looks like you are in utter disbelief and surprise at looking at what just happened.”</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Looks like you are in utter disbelief and surprise at looking what just happened 😅</p>
— Prasad Karwa (@PrasadKarwa) <a href="https://twitter.com/PrasadKarwa/status/1663368349815013377?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 30, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>This person was totally in awe of Kevin Pietersen’s expression.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Just loved your expression ♥</p>
— Aashir Vali Vahidy (@aashirvahidy) <a href="https://twitter.com/aashirvahidy/status/1663304500180918272?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 29, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>Praising Kevin Pietersen’s commentary skills, one Twitter user wrote, “You are also a great caller of the game, KP. Your presence in the commentary box makes the experience even more special and delightful. I hope and pray that you keep entertaining us like this.”</p>

<h2><strong>Chennai Super Kings’ nail-biting finish</strong></h2>

<p>Coming back to on-field developments, Sai Sudarshan’s stunning knock of 47-ball 96 powered Gujarat Titans to a mammoth total of 214. Chennai Super Kings pacer Matheesha Pathirana emerged as his side’s best bowler after claiming two wickets in the final encounter.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The target, however, had to be revised due to rain-enforced interruption and Chennai Super Kings were asked to chase 171 runs in 15 overs. Chennai all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja’s late cameo, ultimately, guided MS Dhoni’s men to a five-wicket triumph.</p>


Dramatic scenes unfolded in Ahmedabad during the last over of this season’s Indian Premier League (IPL) final between Chennai Super Kings and Gujarat Titans. With four runs needed to win off the last delivery, Ravindra Jadeja guided Mohit Sharma’s low full toss between short fine leg and the wicketkeeper for a boundary.

Dramatic scenes unfolded in Ahmedabad during the last over of this season’s Indian Premier League (IPL) final between Chennai Super Kings and Gujarat Titans. With four runs needed to win off the last delivery, Ravindra Jadeja guided Mohit Sharma’s low full toss between short fine leg and the wicketkeeper for a boundary. Following the shot, Chennai cricketers broke into a euphoric celebration at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. The scene, however, was no less exhilarated in the commentary box. Former England skipper Kevin Pietersen shared a video which perfectly encapsulated the mood of his fellow commentators, following Jadeja’s match-winning stroke. Sharing the video on Twitter, Pietersen wrote, “A privilege to be there at the end with Ravi Shastri and Ian Bishop. Two great callers of the game! Congrats CSK and thank you to every single person who was a part of this season's IPL!” A privilege to be there at the end with @RaviShastriOfc & @irbishi. Two great callers of the game! 🙏🏽 Congrats CSK & thank you to every single person who was a part of this seasons IPL! 👊🏽 pic.twitter.com/RW1DHRnmo0 — Kevin Pietersen🦏 (@KP24) May 29, 2023 × While Ravi Shastri stood up to get a clear sense of the outcome of the final ball, his co-commentator Ian Bishop was heard screaming in sheer ecstasy, “Never bet against MS Dhoni and CSK.” Kevin Pietersen, on the other hand, seemed utterly shell-shocked by the manner in which Chennai Super Kings won their fifth IPL title. The clip went viral in no time garnering more than 4.6 lakh views on Twitter. Fans salute Dhoni and his team One user, quite aptly, summed up Kevin Pietersen’s reaction by commenting, “You looked shocked and sad, KP.” you looked shocked and sad kp 😂😒 — Neeche Se Topper (@NeecheSeTopper) May 29, 2023 × Echoing a similar sentiment, another social media user tweeted, “Looks like you are in utter disbelief and surprise at looking at what just happened.” Looks like you are in utter disbelief and surprise at looking what just happened 😅 — Prasad Karwa (@PrasadKarwa) May 30, 2023 × This person was totally in awe of Kevin Pietersen’s expression. Just loved your expression ♥ — Aashir Vali Vahidy (@aashirvahidy) May 29, 2023 × Praising Kevin Pietersen’s commentary skills, one Twitter user wrote, “You are also a great caller of the game, KP. Your presence in the commentary box makes the experience even more special and delightful. I hope and pray that you keep entertaining us like this.” Chennai Super Kings’ nail-biting finish Coming back to on-field developments, Sai Sudarshan’s stunning knock of 47-ball 96 powered Gujarat Titans to a mammoth total of 214. Chennai Super Kings pacer Matheesha Pathirana emerged as his side’s best bowler after claiming two wickets in the final encounter. The target, however, had to be revised due to rain-enforced interruption and Chennai Super Kings were asked to chase 171 runs in 15 overs. Chennai all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja’s late cameo, ultimately, guided MS Dhoni’s men to a five-wicket triumph.

Incredible scenes in commentary box as Ravindra Jadeja hits winning runs

<p>Dramatic scenes unfolded in Ahmedabad during the last over of this season’s Indian Premier League (IPL) final between Chennai Super Kings and Gujarat Titans. With four runs needed to win off the last delivery, Ravindra Jadeja guided Mohit Sharma’s low full toss between short fine leg and the wicketkeeper for a boundary. Following the shot, Chennai cricketers broke into a euphoric celebration at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. The scene, however, was no less exhilarating in the commentary box. Former England skipper Kevin Pietersen shared a video which perfectly encapsulated the mood of his fellow commentators, following Jadeja’s match-winning stroke. Sharing the video on Twitter, Pietersen wrote, “A privilege to be there at the end with Ravi Shastri and Ian Bishop. Two great callers of the game! Congrats CSK and thank you to every single person who was a part of this season's IPL!”</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">A privilege to be there at the end with <a href="https://twitter.com/RaviShastriOfc?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RaviShastriOfc</a> &amp; <a href="https://twitter.com/irbishi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@irbishi</a>. Two great callers of the game! 🙏🏽<br />
Congrats CSK &amp; thank you to every single person who was a part of this seasons IPL! 👊🏽 <a href="https://t.co/RW1DHRnmo0">pic.twitter.com/RW1DHRnmo0</a></p>
— Kevin Pietersen🦏 (@KP24) <a href="https://twitter.com/KP24/status/1663297699737731072?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 29, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>While Ravi Shastri stood up to get a clear sense of the outcome of the final ball, his co-commentator Ian Bishop was heard screaming in sheer ecstasy, “Never bet against MS Dhoni and CSK.” Kevin Pietersen, on the other hand, seemed utterly shell-shocked by the manner in which Chennai Super Kings won their fifth IPL title.</p>

<p><br />
The clip went viral in no time garnering more than 4.6 lakh views on Twitter.</p>

<p>Fans salute Dhoni and his team&nbsp;</p>

<p>One user, quite aptly, summed up Kevin Pietersen’s reaction by commenting, “You looked shocked and sad, KP.”</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">you looked shocked and sad kp 😂😒</p>
— Neeche Se Topper (@NeecheSeTopper) <a href="https://twitter.com/NeecheSeTopper/status/1663298811178131457?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 29, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>Echoing a similar sentiment, another social media user tweeted, “Looks like you are in utter disbelief and surprise at looking at what just happened.”</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Looks like you are in utter disbelief and surprise at looking what just happened 😅</p>
— Prasad Karwa (@PrasadKarwa) <a href="https://twitter.com/PrasadKarwa/status/1663368349815013377?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 30, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>This person was totally in awe of Kevin Pietersen’s expression.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Just loved your expression ♥</p>
— Aashir Vali Vahidy (@aashirvahidy) <a href="https://twitter.com/aashirvahidy/status/1663304500180918272?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 29, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>Praising Kevin Pietersen’s commentary skills, one Twitter user wrote, “You are also a great caller of the game, KP. Your presence in the commentary box makes the experience even more special and delightful. I hope and pray that you keep entertaining us like this.”</p>

<p>Chennai Super Kings’nail-biting finish</p>

<p>Coming back to on-field developments, Sai Sudharsan’s stunning knock of 47-ball 96 powered Gujarat Titans to a mammoth total of 214. Chennai Super Kings pacer Matheesha Pathirana emerged as his side’s best bowler after claiming two wickets in the final encounter.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The target, however, had to be revised due to rain-enforced interruption and Chennai Super Kings were asked to chase 171 runs in 15 overs. Chennai all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja’s late cameo, ultimately, guided MS Dhoni’s men to a five-wicket triumph.</p>


Dramatic scenes unfolded in Ahmedabad during the last over of this season’s Indian Premier League (IPL) final between Chennai Super Kings and Gujarat Titans. With four runs needed to win off the last delivery, Ravindra Jadeja guided Mohit Sharma’s low full toss between short fine leg and the wicketkeeper for a boundary. Following the shot, Chennai cricketers broke into a euphoric celebration at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. The scene, however, was no less exhilarating in the commentary box. Former England skipper Kevin Pietersen shared a video which perfectly encapsulated the mood of his fellow commentators, following Jadeja’s match-winning stroke. Sharing the video on Twitter, Pietersen wrote, “A privilege to be there at the end with Ravi Shastri and Ian Bishop. Two great callers of the game! Congrats CSK and thank you to every single person who was a part of this season's IPL!” A privilege to be there at the end with @RaviShastriOfc & @irbishi. Two great callers of the game! 🙏🏽 Congrats CSK & thank you to every single person who was a part of this seasons IPL! 👊🏽 pic.twitter.com/RW1DHRnmo0 — Kevin Pietersen🦏 (@KP24) May 29, 2023 × While Ravi Shastri stood up to get a clear sense of the outcome of the final ball, his co-commentator Ian Bishop was heard screaming in sheer ecstasy, “Never bet against MS Dhoni and CSK.” Kevin Pietersen, on the other hand, seemed utterly shell-shocked by the manner in which Chennai Super Kings won their fifth IPL title. The clip went viral in no time garnering more than 4.6 lakh views on Twitter. Fans salute Dhoni and his team One user, quite aptly, summed up Kevin Pietersen’s reaction by commenting, “You looked shocked and sad, KP.” you looked shocked and sad kp 😂😒 — Neeche Se Topper (@NeecheSeTopper) May 29, 2023 × Echoing a similar sentiment, another social media user tweeted, “Looks like you are in utter disbelief and surprise at looking at what just happened.” Looks like you are in utter disbelief and surprise at looking what just happened 😅 — Prasad Karwa (@PrasadKarwa) May 30, 2023 × This person was totally in awe of Kevin Pietersen’s expression. Just loved your expression ♥ — Aashir Vali Vahidy (@aashirvahidy) May 29, 2023 × Praising Kevin Pietersen’s commentary skills, one Twitter user wrote, “You are also a great caller of the game, KP. Your presence in the commentary box makes the experience even more special and delightful. I hope and pray that you keep entertaining us like this.” Chennai Super Kings’nail-biting finish Coming back to on-field developments, Sai Sudharsan’s stunning knock of 47-ball 96 powered Gujarat Titans to a mammoth total of 214. Chennai Super Kings pacer Matheesha Pathirana emerged as his side’s best bowler after claiming two wickets in the final encounter. The target, however, had to be revised due to rain-enforced interruption and Chennai Super Kings were asked to chase 171 runs in 15 overs. Chennai all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja’s late cameo, ultimately, guided MS Dhoni’s men to a five-wicket triumph.

IPL Final: Incredible scenes in commentary box as Ravindra Jadeja hits winning runs

<p>Former England skipper Kevin Pietersen thinks that fast bowler Jofra Archer's journey with England cricket has come to an end. The comments from Pietersen came after Archer was ruled out the entire upcoming English summer including the much-anticipated Ashes series against Australia at home.</p>

<p>Writing on his blog Betaway, Pietersen opined, "I'm gutted for Jofra. Absolutely gutted. I think this will probably end his journey with English cricket. I know that there are reports around a franchise contract, and that would be the smartest thing for him to do now. Take six months to recover, select a few tournaments to play, and bowl at the speed of light for a few months of the year. He would earn good money and still have a career in the game."&nbsp;</p>

<p>The former skipper also suggested that the England Cricket Board is also probably done with him. Pietersen, however, sympathised with the fast bowler and said that it's not Archer's fault as he's just injury prone.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/inter-milan-reach-champions-league-final-593079">Inter win Milan derby to reach first Champions League final in 13 years</a></p>

<p>"I think the longer form of the game has passed him by. I think English cricket has probably passed him by. It's no fault of his own, he's just injury prone. As much as he would love to play for England, because I know that's his dream, it's probably finished. He should now just go and cash in as much as he can in franchise cricket. But first of all, get himself fit," wrote Pietersen.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Notably, Archer returned to competitive cricket with Indian Premier League (IPL) where he plays for Mumbai Indians but couldn't live up to the expectations. The fast bowler has played in just five games and took wickets only at an average of 95 and an average of 60.</p>

<p>The last decent season of Archer in IPL was in 2020 when he played 14 games and took 20 wickets. Notably, 2020 was also the last time Archer played in the IPL before featuring in the current season.</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe></p>

<p>You can <strong>now write for wionews.com</strong> and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.</strong></p>


Former England skipper Kevin Pietersen thinks that fast bowler Jofra Archer's journey with England cricket has come to an end. The comments from Pietersen came after Archer was ruled out the entire upcoming English summer including the much-anticipated Ashes series against Australia at home.

Former England skipper Kevin Pietersen thinks that fast bowler Jofra Archer's journey with England cricket has come to an end. The comments from Pietersen came after Archer was ruled out the entire upcoming English summer including the much-anticipated Ashes series against Australia at home. Writing on his blog Betaway, Pietersen opined, "I'm gutted for Jofra. Absolutely gutted. I think this will probably end his journey with English cricket. I know that there are reports around a franchise contract, and that would be the smartest thing for him to do now. Take six months to recover, select a few tournaments to play, and bowl at the speed of light for a few months of the year. He would earn good money and still have a career in the game." The former skipper also suggested that the England Cricket Board is also probably done with him. Pietersen, however, sympathised with the fast bowler and said that it's not Archer's fault as he's just injury prone. Also Read: Inter win Milan derby to reach first Champions League final in 13 years "I think the longer form of the game has passed him by. I think English cricket has probably passed him by. It's no fault of his own, he's just injury prone. As much as he would love to play for England, because I know that's his dream, it's probably finished. He should now just go and cash in as much as he can in franchise cricket. But first of all, get himself fit," wrote Pietersen. Notably, Archer returned to competitive cricket with Indian Premier League (IPL) where he plays for Mumbai Indians but couldn't live up to the expectations. The fast bowler has played in just five games and took wickets only at an average of 95 and an average of 60. The last decent season of Archer in IPL was in 2020 when he played 14 games and took 20 wickets. Notably, 2020 was also the last time Archer played in the IPL before featuring in the current season. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Kevin Pietersen says Jofra Archer's playing days for England are 'probably finished'

<p>MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) lost match 61 of the IPL 2023 edition as the four-time winners went down to the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) by six wickets, at home, on Sunday evening (May 14). Despite the loss, the Yellow Army remain at the second spot -- with 15 points from 13 games -- and are expected to reach the playoffs. After the loss, CSK took a lap at the ground to acknowledge their ardent fans for their constant support as it was their last league game at home.</p>

<p>After the lap taken by Dhoni &amp; Co., talks regarding the 41-year-old's IPL future once again commenced in the cricketing world. The CSK skipper has not said anything about his IPL future but it is widely believed that he is playing his last season. Thus, former England captain-turned-commentator Kevin Pietersen joined the bandwagon and spoke at length on Dhoni's IPL future. He believes that he will be extremely surprised if Dhoni retires after the 2023 edition.</p>

<p>"I was there for Dhoni’s lap of honour on Sunday, and it was incredible to see how the stadium stayed completely full. I'd be extremely surprised if this is his last season. I think this impact player rule actually helps him tremendously, where he can keep for 20 overs and bat wherever he wants to bat,” Pietersen wrote in his column for Betway.</p>

<p>He further asserted, "He makes the team better with the decisions he makes as a captain, and his keeping has been tremendous. It’s not like he takes a batting position up, because he tends to come in at seven, eight or nine to whack a few deliveries."</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2023-virender-sehwag-urges-mi-to-make-suryakumar-yadav-permanent-at-no-3-spot-592958">IPL 2023: Virender Sehwag urges MI to make Suryakumar Yadav permanent at No. 3</a></strong></p>

<p>Pietersen added, "He’ll have the opportunity for eight or nine months of rest, sort his knee out, and get himself fit and ready for another season. I&nbsp;hope it's not the last we see of Dhoni, and I know everybody in the country would want him to play another season."</p>

<p>CSK will now travel to the national capital to take on the hosts Delhi Capitals (DC) in their last league game. They will aim for a win to ensure a top-two finish in the points table. Qualifier 1 and the Eliminator will take place in Chennai whereas Ahmedabad will host Qualifier 2 and the final, on May 28.</p>


MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) lost match 61 of the IPL 2023 edition as the four-time winners went down to the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) by six wickets, at home, on Sunday evening (May 14).

MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) lost match 61 of the IPL 2023 edition as the four-time winners went down to the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) by six wickets, at home, on Sunday evening (May 14). Despite the loss, the Yellow Army remain at the second spot -- with 15 points from 13 games -- and are expected to reach the playoffs. After the loss, CSK took a lap at the ground to acknowledge their ardent fans for their constant support as it was their last league game at home. After the lap taken by Dhoni & Co., talks regarding the 41-year-old's IPL future once again commenced in the cricketing world. The CSK skipper has not said anything about his IPL future but it is widely believed that he is playing his last season. Thus, former England captain-turned-commentator Kevin Pietersen joined the bandwagon and spoke at length on Dhoni's IPL future. He believes that he will be extremely surprised if Dhoni retires after the 2023 edition. "I was there for Dhoni’s lap of honour on Sunday, and it was incredible to see how the stadium stayed completely full. I'd be extremely surprised if this is his last season. I think this impact player rule actually helps him tremendously, where he can keep for 20 overs and bat wherever he wants to bat,” Pietersen wrote in his column for Betway. He further asserted, "He makes the team better with the decisions he makes as a captain, and his keeping has been tremendous. It’s not like he takes a batting position up, because he tends to come in at seven, eight or nine to whack a few deliveries." Also Read: IPL 2023: Virender Sehwag urges MI to make Suryakumar Yadav permanent at No. 3 Pietersen added, "He’ll have the opportunity for eight or nine months of rest, sort his knee out, and get himself fit and ready for another season. I hope it's not the last we see of Dhoni, and I know everybody in the country would want him to play another season." CSK will now travel to the national capital to take on the hosts Delhi Capitals (DC) in their last league game. They will aim for a win to ensure a top-two finish in the points table. Qualifier 1 and the Eliminator will take place in Chennai whereas Ahmedabad will host Qualifier 2 and the final, on May 28.

IPL 2023: 'Would be extremely surprised' - Kevin Pietersen shares his take on MS Dhoni's future

<p>Former England cricket team captain Kevin Pietersen has come out in support of Cristiano Ronaldo amid massive criticism of the Manchester United superstar following his sensational interview targeting the club. Things have gone haywire between Ronaldo and his club after the ugly fallout between them.</p>

<p>One of the legends of the club, Ronaldo has had a disastrous start to the ongoing season and has struggled to start games under manager Erik Ten Hag. Ronaldo has been used majorly as a substitute in the Premier League so far this season with goals drying up for the 37-year-old, who has clearly been far from his best.</p>

<p>Ronaldo has also had several off-field issues at United this season and expressed his frustrations in his latest interview with controversial English journalist Piers Morgan. While he openly claimed he had no respect for manager Ten Hag, Ronaldo also accused the club of 'betraying him'.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Portuguese icon, who is regarded as one of the greatest players of all time, also took a dig at United owners the Glazers, and criticised them for the poor infrastructure and training facilities at the club, claiming they were all the same from when he had left the club for the first time in 2009.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/it-was-a-joke-portugals-joao-mario-on-cristiano-ronaldos-awkward-handshake-with-bruno-fernandes-534408">'It was a joke..': Portugal's Joao Mario on Ronaldo's 'awkward' handshake with Bruno Fernandes</a></p>

<p>Ronaldo has been widely criticised by several former players and fans for his explosive remarks against the club and the manager. However, Pietersen has 'symphatised' with Ronaldo and compared his situation to his own during his cricketing career.</p>

<p>Pietersen, who was involved in several controversies during his time with the England cricket team, has said it is possible for players to reach their 'breaking point' after facing constant lies and speculations.</p>

<p>"I’ve watched this CR story and having been in a similar position, I sympathise with him. People have NO IDEA what it’s like to have constant lies and speculation written about them all the time. People having breaking points. Very easy to blame him but before you do, think," Pietersen wrote in a tweet.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">I’ve watched this CR story and having been in a similar position, I sympathise with him. People have NO IDEA what it’s like to have constant lies and speculation written about them all the time.<br />
People having breaking points.<br />
Very easy to blame him but before you do, think…</p>
— Kevin Pietersen (@KP24) <a href="https://twitter.com/KP24/status/1592484346963054592?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 15, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/man-united-didnt-believe-my-daughter-was-ill-when-i-missed-pre-season-alleges-cristiano-ronaldo-534398">Man United didn’t believe my daughter was ill when I missed pre-season, alleges Cristiano Ronaldo</a></p>

<p>Ronaldo has been at the centre of criticism at United this season over his poor behaviour. The 37-year-old had refused to come on as a substitute and left the stadium before the full time whistle while expressing his anger during United's Premier League clash against Tottenham Hotspurs earlier this season.</p>

<p>However, despite his actions, he was only suspended for a few days and was&nbsp;reinstated into the squad by Ten Hag, who also made him the club captain only for Ronaldo to come out and bash him in his latest interview. Following his explosive comments in the interview, Ronaldo is unlikely to play for United again and the club are expected to part ways with the Portuguese in the January transfer window.</p>


Former England cricket team captain Kevin Pietersen has come out in support of Cristiano Ronaldo amid massive criticism of the Manchester United superstar following his sensational interview targeting the club.

Former England cricket team captain Kevin Pietersen has come out in support of Cristiano Ronaldo amid massive criticism of the Manchester United superstar following his sensational interview targeting the club. Things have gone haywire between Ronaldo and his club after the ugly fallout between them. One of the legends of the club, Ronaldo has had a disastrous start to the ongoing season and has struggled to start games under manager Erik Ten Hag. Ronaldo has been used majorly as a substitute in the Premier League so far this season with goals drying up for the 37-year-old, who has clearly been far from his best. Ronaldo has also had several off-field issues at United this season and expressed his frustrations in his latest interview with controversial English journalist Piers Morgan. While he openly claimed he had no respect for manager Ten Hag, Ronaldo also accused the club of 'betraying him'. The Portuguese icon, who is regarded as one of the greatest players of all time, also took a dig at United owners the Glazers, and criticised them for the poor infrastructure and training facilities at the club, claiming they were all the same from when he had left the club for the first time in 2009. Also Read: 'It was a joke..': Portugal's Joao Mario on Ronaldo's 'awkward' handshake with Bruno Fernandes Ronaldo has been widely criticised by several former players and fans for his explosive remarks against the club and the manager. However, Pietersen has 'symphatised' with Ronaldo and compared his situation to his own during his cricketing career. Pietersen, who was involved in several controversies during his time with the England cricket team, has said it is possible for players to reach their 'breaking point' after facing constant lies and speculations. "I’ve watched this CR story and having been in a similar position, I sympathise with him. People have NO IDEA what it’s like to have constant lies and speculation written about them all the time. People having breaking points. Very easy to blame him but before you do, think," Pietersen wrote in a tweet. I’ve watched this CR story and having been in a similar position, I sympathise with him. People have NO IDEA what it’s like to have constant lies and speculation written about them all the time. People having breaking points. Very easy to blame him but before you do, think… — Kevin Pietersen (@KP24) November 15, 2022 × Also Read: Man United didn’t believe my daughter was ill when I missed pre-season, alleges Cristiano Ronaldo Ronaldo has been at the centre of criticism at United this season over his poor behaviour. The 37-year-old had refused to come on as a substitute and left the stadium before the full time whistle while expressing his anger during United's Premier League clash against Tottenham Hotspurs earlier this season. However, despite his actions, he was only suspended for a few days and was reinstated into the squad by Ten Hag, who also made him the club captain only for Ronaldo to come out and bash him in his latest interview. Following his explosive comments in the interview, Ronaldo is unlikely to play for United again and the club are expected to part ways with the Portuguese in the January transfer window.

'People have breaking points': Kevin Pietersen supports Cristiano Ronaldo after ugly fallout with Man Utd

<p>Former England captain Kevin Pietersen urged Virat Kohli to take a day off and go easy on England in the upcoming second semi-final of the ongoing T20 World Cup 2022. India will lock horns with England in a blockbuster clash at the Adelaide Oval in Adelaide on Thursday (November 10) with a spot in the final on the line.</p>

<p>Kohli took to social media on Tuesday (November 08) to share a video of his batting practice session in the nets in Adelaide. The senior India batter, who has been in exceptional form so far this season, was seen timing the ball to perfection in the nets as he aims to continue his purple patch.</p>

<p>"Please have a day of Thursday, bud! You know I love you but just chill Thursday please," Pietersen wrote in the comments section reacting to Kohli's post.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CksKIWIgKAc/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);">
<div style="padding:16px;">
<div style=" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;">
<div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;">
<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;">&nbsp;</div>
</div>
</div>

<div style="padding: 19% 0;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="display:block; height:50px; margin:0 auto 12px; width:50px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CksKIWIgKAc/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;" target="_blank"><svg height="50px" version="1.1" viewbox="0 0 60 60" width="50px" xmlns="https://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><g fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd" stroke="none" stroke-width="1"><g fill="#000000" transform="translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)"><g><path d="M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631"></path></g></g></g></svg></a></div>

<div style="padding-top: 8px;">
<div style=" color:#3897f0; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CksKIWIgKAc/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;" target="_blank">View this post on Instagram</a></div>
</div>

<div style="padding: 12.5% 0;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;">
<div>
<div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);">&nbsp;</div>
</div>

<div style="margin-left: 8px;">
<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)">&nbsp;</div>
</div>

<div style="margin-left: auto;">
<div style=" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);">&nbsp;</div>
</div>
</div>

<div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;">
<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;">&nbsp;</div>
</div>

<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CksKIWIgKAc/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Virat Kohli (@virat.kohli)</a></p>
</div>
</blockquote>
<script async src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/sri-lanka-cricket-to-probe-various-alleged-incidents-in-australia-after-danushka-gunathilakas-arrest-532284">Sri Lanka Cricket to probe ‘various alleged incidents’ in Australia after Danushka Gunathilaka's arrest</a></p>

<p>Kohli has been in terrific touch so far in the tournament and is currently the leading run-getter with 245 runs from just five matches. He has already scored three half-centuries in the ongoing World Cup and will be looking to extend his tally when India take on England on Thursday.</p>

<p>There were questions raised over his spot in India's T20I squad in the build-up to the World Cup in Australia amid his prolonged lean patch. However, Kohli bounced back to form in the Asia Cup earlier this year and has continued his excellent form in the ongoing T20 World Cup.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/despite-his-poor-form-england-will-not-take-rohit-sharma-lightly-at-all-says-ben-stokes-532228">Despite his poor form, England will not take Rohit Sharma lightly at all, says Ben Stokes</a></p>

<p>India qualfied for the semi-finals as the top-ranked side from Group 2 alongwith Pakistan, who managed to finish second on a dramatic final day of the Super 12 stage. While India will be against Jos Buttler's England, Pakistan will be taking on New Zealand in the first semi-final on Wednesday (November 09).</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe></p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


Former England captain Kevin Pietersen urged Virat Kohli to take a day off and go easy on England in the upcoming second semi-final of the ongoing T20 World Cup 2022.

Former England captain Kevin Pietersen urged Virat Kohli to take a day off and go easy on England in the upcoming second semi-final of the ongoing T20 World Cup 2022. India will lock horns with England in a blockbuster clash at the Adelaide Oval in Adelaide on Thursday (November 10) with a spot in the final on the line. Kohli took to social media on Tuesday (November 08) to share a video of his batting practice session in the nets in Adelaide. The senior India batter, who has been in exceptional form so far this season, was seen timing the ball to perfection in the nets as he aims to continue his purple patch. "Please have a day of Thursday, bud! You know I love you but just chill Thursday please," Pietersen wrote in the comments section reacting to Kohli's post. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Virat Kohli (@virat.kohli) × Also Read: Sri Lanka Cricket to probe ‘various alleged incidents’ in Australia after Danushka Gunathilaka's arrest Kohli has been in terrific touch so far in the tournament and is currently the leading run-getter with 245 runs from just five matches. He has already scored three half-centuries in the ongoing World Cup and will be looking to extend his tally when India take on England on Thursday. There were questions raised over his spot in India's T20I squad in the build-up to the World Cup in Australia amid his prolonged lean patch. However, Kohli bounced back to form in the Asia Cup earlier this year and has continued his excellent form in the ongoing T20 World Cup. Also Read: Despite his poor form, England will not take Rohit Sharma lightly at all, says Ben Stokes India qualfied for the semi-finals as the top-ranked side from Group 2 alongwith Pakistan, who managed to finish second on a dramatic final day of the Super 12 stage. While India will be against Jos Buttler's England, Pakistan will be taking on New Zealand in the first semi-final on Wednesday (November 09). ×

Please have a day off: Kevin Pietersen reacts to Virat Kohli’s training video ahead of T20 World Cup semis

<p>Former England cricket team captain Kevin Pietersen slammed Manchester United manager Erik Ten Hag branding him a 'clown' for 'disrespecting' Cristiano Ronaldo. Ronaldo has been dropped from Manchester United's squad to face Chelsea in the Premier League on Saturday after he refused to come on as a substitute and left the stadium before the full-time whistle during United's 2-0 win against Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday.</p>

<p>While Ronaldo was criticised by many for his antics, the Portuguese superstar has also managed to find support from his cult fans, who have lashed out at Ten Hag over his treatment of the club legend. Pietersen launched a scathing attack on Ten Hag after Manchester United took to Instagram to share a post featuring cricketers who have visited their stadium.</p>

<p>Hopping on to the T20 World Cup trend, United portrayed how several top cricketers over the years have enjoyed their time at Old Trafford and spent time with those associated with the club. Pietersen was one of the cricketers included in United's post.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/there-are-consequences-erik-ten-hag-confirms-cristiano-ronaldo-refused-to-come-on-as-a-sub-against-spurs-527429">'There are consequences': Ten Hag confirms Ronaldo refused to come on as a sub against Spurs</a></p>

<p>The England cricket great, who is a Chelsea fan, demanded United to take his photo down while slamming Ten Hag for his treatment of Ronaldo, who he regards as the greatest footballer of the present era.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Please take my picture down? I don't want an association with a club that's managed by a clown who is completely disrespecting the greatest footballer of our time. @cristiano is the BOSS! That clown who no one will ever remember needs a wake up!," read Pietersen's comment which has now been removed.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cj9P6_xIBNu/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);">
<div style="padding:16px;">
<div style=" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;">
<div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;">
<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;">&nbsp;</div>
</div>
</div>

<div style="padding: 19% 0;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="display:block; height:50px; margin:0 auto 12px; width:50px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cj9P6_xIBNu/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;" target="_blank"><svg height="50px" version="1.1" viewbox="0 0 60 60" width="50px" xmlns="https://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><g fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd" stroke="none" stroke-width="1"><g fill="#000000" transform="translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)"><g><path d="M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631"></path></g></g></g></svg></a></div>

<div style="padding-top: 8px;">
<div style=" color:#3897f0; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cj9P6_xIBNu/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;" target="_blank">View this post on Instagram</a></div>
</div>

<div style="padding: 12.5% 0;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;">
<div>
<div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);">&nbsp;</div>
</div>

<div style="margin-left: 8px;">
<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)">&nbsp;</div>
</div>

<div style="margin-left: auto;">
<div style=" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);">&nbsp;</div>
</div>
</div>

<div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;">
<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;">&nbsp;</div>
</div>

<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cj9P6_xIBNu/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Manchester United (@manchesterunited)</a></p>
</div>
</blockquote>
<script async src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>United were quick to take down Pietersen's picture from their post and also removed his comment from the comments section.</p>

<p>Ronaldo, who has struggled to start games under Ten Hag this season, was an unused substitute on the bench in the club's 2-0 win against Spurs earlier this week. Ten Hag on Friday confirmed he wanted to bring the Portuguese on in the second half but he refused to come on.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/barcelona-head-coach-xavi-explains-how-cristiano-ronaldo-made-lionel-messi-a-better-player-527406">Barcelona head coach Xavi explains how Cristiano Ronaldo made Lionel Messi a better player</a></p>

<p>Ronaldo was seen storming down the tunnel with a few minutes left for the game to finish and left the stadium before the final whistle.</p>

<p>He has been punished by the United manager for his actions and has been dropped from the squad to face Chelsea. Ronaldo has been asked to train with the United U-21s but is likely to return to the main squad in a few days. When asked about his behaviour, Ten Hag said the 37-year-old will have to face consequences as his actions were unacceptable.</p>


Former England cricket team captain Kevin Pietersen slammed Manchester United manager Erik Ten Hag branding him a 'clown' for 'disrespecting' Cristiano Ronaldo. Ronaldo has been dropped from Manchester United's squad to face Chelsea in the Premier League on Saturday after he refused to come on as a substitute and left the stadium before the full-time whistle during United's 2-0 win against Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday.

Former England cricket team captain Kevin Pietersen slammed Manchester United manager Erik Ten Hag branding him a 'clown' for 'disrespecting' Cristiano Ronaldo. Ronaldo has been dropped from Manchester United's squad to face Chelsea in the Premier League on Saturday after he refused to come on as a substitute and left the stadium before the full-time whistle during United's 2-0 win against Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday. While Ronaldo was criticised by many for his antics, the Portuguese superstar has also managed to find support from his cult fans, who have lashed out at Ten Hag over his treatment of the club legend. Pietersen launched a scathing attack on Ten Hag after Manchester United took to Instagram to share a post featuring cricketers who have visited their stadium. Hopping on to the T20 World Cup trend, United portrayed how several top cricketers over the years have enjoyed their time at Old Trafford and spent time with those associated with the club. Pietersen was one of the cricketers included in United's post. Also Read: 'There are consequences': Ten Hag confirms Ronaldo refused to come on as a sub against Spurs The England cricket great, who is a Chelsea fan, demanded United to take his photo down while slamming Ten Hag for his treatment of Ronaldo, who he regards as the greatest footballer of the present era. "Please take my picture down? I don't want an association with a club that's managed by a clown who is completely disrespecting the greatest footballer of our time. @cristiano is the BOSS! That clown who no one will ever remember needs a wake up!," read Pietersen's comment which has now been removed. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Manchester United (@manchesterunited) × United were quick to take down Pietersen's picture from their post and also removed his comment from the comments section. Ronaldo, who has struggled to start games under Ten Hag this season, was an unused substitute on the bench in the club's 2-0 win against Spurs earlier this week. Ten Hag on Friday confirmed he wanted to bring the Portuguese on in the second half but he refused to come on. Also Read: Barcelona head coach Xavi explains how Cristiano Ronaldo made Lionel Messi a better player Ronaldo was seen storming down the tunnel with a few minutes left for the game to finish and left the stadium before the final whistle. He has been punished by the United manager for his actions and has been dropped from the squad to face Chelsea. Ronaldo has been asked to train with the United U-21s but is likely to return to the main squad in a few days. When asked about his behaviour, Ten Hag said the 37-year-old will have to face consequences as his actions were unacceptable.

Kevin Pietersen calls Man Utd manager Erik Ten Hag a 'clown' for 'disrespecting' Cristiano Ronaldo

<p>Indians across the world are celebrating as today (August 15, 2022) marks 75 years of India's independence. India declared freedom from British colonial rule on August 15 in 1947 and the country has since gone on to achieve some remarkable feats in different fields to emerge as one of the global leaders.</p>

<p>While the national flag was hoisted and the national anthem was played across the nation to mark the occasion, several cultural events were also conducted in various parts of the country. Wishes also poured in on social media from across the globe as Indians celebrated the day with great enthusiasm.</p>

<p>While the Indian cricket fraternity took to social media to extend their wishes on Independence Day, former England cricket team captain Kevin Pietersen also sent across a special message in Hindi. Pietersen, whose love for India is a secret to none, urged Indians to stand tall while wishing the country a brighter future.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/youre-going-to-mumbai-harbhajan-recalls-his-response-to-akhtars-request-for-cwc11-final-tickets-507140">'You're going to Mumbai?' - Harbhajan recalls his response to Akhtar's request for CWC'11 final tickets</a></p>

<p>"75th Swatantra Diwas ki shubhkamnayein, Bharat. Garv karo or lamba khade raho. Aap sabhi ke lie ek behtar kal ka nirman ho raha hai (Happy 75th Independence Day India. Be proud and stand&nbsp;tall. A bright future for all of you&nbsp;is in the making)," Pietersen wrote on Twitter.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="hi">75वें स्वतंत्रता दिवस की शुभकामनाएं, भारत। गर्व करो और लंबा खड़े रहो। आप सभी के लिए एक बेहतर कल का निर्माण कर रहे हैं!</p>
— Kevin Pietersen (@KP24) <a href="https://twitter.com/KP24/status/1559103363169615876?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 15, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>Pietersen has tweeted in Hindi on several occasions in the past expressing his admiration for India and its people. The former England captain had once revealed he was learning Hindi from Indian cricketer Shreevats Goswami. Pietersen, who works as a commentator now having retired from cricket, rarely misses a chance to take a trip to the country during the Indian Premier League (IPL).</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ravindra-jadeja-likely-to-leave-csk-as-all-rounder-has-been-completely-out-of-touch-with-franchise-report-507117">Ravindra Jadeja likely to leave CSK as all-rounder has been 'completely out of touch' with franchise&nbsp;</a></p>

<p>Earlier in the day, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the nation on the country's 76th Independence Day and urged the countrymen to work together towards the development of the nation. He also urged the people to eradicate misogyny from society and give women equal rights.</p>


Indians across the world are celebrating as today (August 15, 2022) marks 75 years of India's independence. India declared freedom from British colonial rule on August 15 in 1947 and the country has since gone on to achieve some remarkable feats in different fields to emerge as one of the global leaders.

Indians across the world are celebrating as today (August 15, 2022) marks 75 years of India's independence. India declared freedom from British colonial rule on August 15 in 1947 and the country has since gone on to achieve some remarkable feats in different fields to emerge as one of the global leaders. While the national flag was hoisted and the national anthem was played across the nation to mark the occasion, several cultural events were also conducted in various parts of the country. Wishes also poured in on social media from across the globe as Indians celebrated the day with great enthusiasm. While the Indian cricket fraternity took to social media to extend their wishes on Independence Day, former England cricket team captain Kevin Pietersen also sent across a special message in Hindi. Pietersen, whose love for India is a secret to none, urged Indians to stand tall while wishing the country a brighter future. Also Read: 'You're going to Mumbai?' - Harbhajan recalls his response to Akhtar's request for CWC'11 final tickets "75th Swatantra Diwas ki shubhkamnayein, Bharat. Garv karo or lamba khade raho. Aap sabhi ke lie ek behtar kal ka nirman ho raha hai (Happy 75th Independence Day India. Be proud and stand tall. A bright future for all of you is in the making)," Pietersen wrote on Twitter. 75वें स्वतंत्रता दिवस की शुभकामनाएं, भारत। गर्व करो और लंबा खड़े रहो। आप सभी के लिए एक बेहतर कल का निर्माण कर रहे हैं! — Kevin Pietersen (@KP24) August 15, 2022 × Pietersen has tweeted in Hindi on several occasions in the past expressing his admiration for India and its people. The former England captain had once revealed he was learning Hindi from Indian cricketer Shreevats Goswami. Pietersen, who works as a commentator now having retired from cricket, rarely misses a chance to take a trip to the country during the Indian Premier League (IPL). Also Read: Ravindra Jadeja likely to leave CSK as all-rounder has been 'completely out of touch' with franchise Earlier in the day, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the nation on the country's 76th Independence Day and urged the countrymen to work together towards the development of the nation. He also urged the people to eradicate misogyny from society and give women equal rights.

'Be proud and stand tall': Kevin Pietersen sends special message in Hindi as India celebrates Independence Day

<p>Ben Stokes shocked the cricketing world with a surprise announcement on Monday (July 18) as the England Test captain confirmed he has decided to retire from ODI cricket. One of the best all-rounders in world cricket, Stokes said it was 'unsustainable' for him to continue playing all three formats of the game which led to the decision of&nbsp;giving up the fifty-over format.</p>

<p>Stokes was one of the vital cogs in England's ODI setup and his retirement has certainly come as a huge blow to the team ahead of the 202 ICC ODI World Cup&nbsp;next year. He was one of the heroes of England's maiden ODI World Cup triumph in 2019 with stellar contributions from the bat and the ball.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Several cricket experts and former England cricketers have already expressed their disappointment over Stokes' decision to quit ODIs. Many, including the likes of former England captains Nasser Hussain and Michael Vaughan, have blamed the packed cricketing schedule for Stokes' retirement from ODIs.</p>

<p>Recently, former England captain Kevin Pietersen also joined the bandwagon and took to Twitter to recall his decision of retiring early from ODI cricket in 2012. Like Stokes, Pietersen was also 31 at the time he decided to retire from the fifty-over format and said he had decided to quit due to the 'intensity of the international schedule'.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/id-love-to-bowl-at-virat-kohli-again-james-anderson-drops-major-hint-on-test-retirement-498877">'I'd love to bowl at Virat Kohli again': James Anderson drops major hint on Test retirement</a></p>

<p>Amid raging debate over the demanding cricketing schedule after Stokes' surprising decision, Pietersen recalled how he was not supported by the England Cricket Board (ECB) when he had told them he wanted to quit ODIs due to the schedule. ECB even banned Pietersen from T20s for retiring early from ODIs.</p>

<p>"I once said the schedule was horrendous and I couldn’t cope, so I retired from ODI cricket &amp; the ECB banned me from T20s too," the former England captain tweeted on Tuesday.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">I once said the schedule was horrendous and I couldn’t cope, so I retired from ODI cricket &amp; the ECB banned me from T20s too………….</p>
— Kevin Pietersen (@KP24) <a href="https://twitter.com/KP24/status/1549367643265695744?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 19, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>Pietersen was also one of the first English players to go against the England Cricket Board for playing in the Indian Premier League (IPL). ECB had initially banned English players from taking part in the IPL but Pietersen went on to feature in the tournament despite their warning.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricketing-schedule-is-absolutely-crazy-ex-england-skipper-nasser-hussain-dejected-as-ben-stokes-quits-odis-498634">'Cricketing schedule is absolutely crazy': Nasser Hussain dejected as Ben Stokes quits ODIs</a></p>

<p>The former England captain played 136 ODIs for the country, scoring 4,440 runs at an excellent average of over 40, including 9 centuries and 25 fifties. Meanwhile, Stokes is currently playing his final ODI for England against South Africa at his home ground -&nbsp;Riverside Ground, Chester-le-Street in Durham.</p>


Ben Stokes shocked the cricketing world with a surprise announcement on Monday (July 18) as the England Test captain confirmed he has decided to retire from ODI cricket.

Ben Stokes shocked the cricketing world with a surprise announcement on Monday (July 18) as the England Test captain confirmed he has decided to retire from ODI cricket. One of the best all-rounders in world cricket, Stokes said it was 'unsustainable' for him to continue playing all three formats of the game which led to the decision of giving up the fifty-over format. Stokes was one of the vital cogs in England's ODI setup and his retirement has certainly come as a huge blow to the team ahead of the 202 ICC ODI World Cup next year. He was one of the heroes of England's maiden ODI World Cup triumph in 2019 with stellar contributions from the bat and the ball. Several cricket experts and former England cricketers have already expressed their disappointment over Stokes' decision to quit ODIs. Many, including the likes of former England captains Nasser Hussain and Michael Vaughan, have blamed the packed cricketing schedule for Stokes' retirement from ODIs. Recently, former England captain Kevin Pietersen also joined the bandwagon and took to Twitter to recall his decision of retiring early from ODI cricket in 2012. Like Stokes, Pietersen was also 31 at the time he decided to retire from the fifty-over format and said he had decided to quit due to the 'intensity of the international schedule'. Also Read: 'I'd love to bowl at Virat Kohli again': James Anderson drops major hint on Test retirement Amid raging debate over the demanding cricketing schedule after Stokes' surprising decision, Pietersen recalled how he was not supported by the England Cricket Board (ECB) when he had told them he wanted to quit ODIs due to the schedule. ECB even banned Pietersen from T20s for retiring early from ODIs. "I once said the schedule was horrendous and I couldn’t cope, so I retired from ODI cricket & the ECB banned me from T20s too," the former England captain tweeted on Tuesday. I once said the schedule was horrendous and I couldn’t cope, so I retired from ODI cricket & the ECB banned me from T20s too…………. — Kevin Pietersen (@KP24) July 19, 2022 × Pietersen was also one of the first English players to go against the England Cricket Board for playing in the Indian Premier League (IPL). ECB had initially banned English players from taking part in the IPL but Pietersen went on to feature in the tournament despite their warning. Also Read: 'Cricketing schedule is absolutely crazy': Nasser Hussain dejected as Ben Stokes quits ODIs The former England captain played 136 ODIs for the country, scoring 4,440 runs at an excellent average of over 40, including 9 centuries and 25 fifties. Meanwhile, Stokes is currently playing his final ODI for England against South Africa at his home ground - Riverside Ground, Chester-le-Street in Durham.

'ECB banned me from T20s too': Kevin Pietersen recalls his early ODI retirement after Ben Stokes' announcement

<p>Virat Kohli continues to get support from all corners in the cricketing fraternity as his form remains a cause of concern for Team India. For the unversed, Kohli's century-drought continues since late 2019 and he ended India's just-concluded England tour without a single fifty across formats.</p>

<p>Even in IPL 2022, Kohli struggled for his 341 runs -- striking at 115.98 -- and returned with only two half-centuries. Hence, his form has kept his ardent fans worried ahead of this year's T20 World Cup. Many former cricketers have now even questioned his place, although majority have backed him. England's former captain-turned-commentator Kevin Pietersen also joined the bandwagon and backed Kohli&nbsp;to rediscover his form via a recent Instagram post.</p>

<p>Pietersen wrote: "Buddy, your career has had some of the best that have played the game only wish they could have done what you have(so far). Be proud, walk tall &amp; enjoy life. There’s way more than just the bubble of cricket out there. You’ll be back."</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CgEan4YtvVW/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);">
<div style="padding:16px;">
<div style=" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;">
<div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;">
<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;">&nbsp;</div>
</div>
</div>

<div style="padding: 19% 0;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="display:block; height:50px; margin:0 auto 12px; width:50px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CgEan4YtvVW/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;" target="_blank"><svg height="50px" version="1.1" viewbox="0 0 60 60" width="50px" xmlns="https://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><g fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd" stroke="none" stroke-width="1"><g fill="#000000" transform="translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)"><g><path d="M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631"></path></g></g></g></svg></a></div>

<div style="padding-top: 8px;">
<div style=" color:#3897f0; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CgEan4YtvVW/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;" target="_blank">View this post on Instagram</a></div>
</div>

<div style="padding: 12.5% 0;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;">
<div>
<div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);">&nbsp;</div>
</div>

<div style="margin-left: 8px;">
<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)">&nbsp;</div>
</div>

<div style="margin-left: auto;">
<div style=" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);">&nbsp;</div>
</div>
</div>

<div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;">
<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;">&nbsp;</div>
</div>

<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CgEan4YtvVW/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Kevin Pietersen 🦏 MBE (@kevinpietersen)</a></p>
</div>
</blockquote>
<script async src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>Ahead of Sunday's&nbsp;ODI series decider&nbsp;between India and England, KP also commented on Kohli's Instagram post, shared on July 16.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CgEMHs-tB6p/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);">
<div style="padding:16px;">
<div style=" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;">
<div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;">
<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;">&nbsp;</div>
</div>
</div>

<div style="padding: 19% 0;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="display:block; height:50px; margin:0 auto 12px; width:50px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CgEMHs-tB6p/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;" target="_blank"><svg height="50px" version="1.1" viewbox="0 0 60 60" width="50px" xmlns="https://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><g fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd" stroke="none" stroke-width="1"><g fill="#000000" transform="translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)"><g><path d="M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631"></path></g></g></g></svg></a></div>

<div style="padding-top: 8px;">
<div style=" color:#3897f0; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CgEMHs-tB6p/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;" target="_blank">View this post on Instagram</a></div>
</div>

<div style="padding: 12.5% 0;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;">
<div>
<div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);">&nbsp;</div>
</div>

<div style="margin-left: 8px;">
<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)">&nbsp;</div>
</div>

<div style="margin-left: auto;">
<div style=" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);">&nbsp;</div>
</div>
</div>

<div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;">
<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;">&nbsp;</div>
</div>

<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CgEMHs-tB6p/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Virat Kohli (@virat.kohli)</a></p>
</div>
</blockquote>
<script async src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p><img alt="KP's comment for Virat Kohli" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="5b9a672d-0b9b-4c07-b472-a0fd50ceafe7" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/KP%20comment%20on%20Virat%27s%20form_0.jpg" /></p>

<p>Thus, Pietersen has fully backed Kohli to overcome his rut and rediscover his form at the international level. Seeing KP's Instagram post for Kohli, even Serbian tennis star and Wimbledon 2022 winner Novak Djokovic liked the former English cricketer's heartfelt post:</p>

<section><img alt="Novak Djokovic likes KP's post for Virat Kohli" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="82f8528a-2737-41f2-8723-43765e19e039" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Djoko%20likes%20KP%27s%20post%20for%20under-fire%20Virat%20Kohli.jpg" /></section>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/eng-vs-ind-yuvraj-singh-reveals-how-he-had-a-role-to-play-in-rishabh-pants-125-not-out-in-3rd-odi-498343"><strong>ENG vs IND: Yuvraj Singh reveals how he had a role to play in Rishabh Pant's 125 not out in 3rd ODI</strong></a></p>

<p>In Rohit Sharma-led India's third and final ODI versus England, in Manchester on Sunday (July 17), Kohli failed to get going once again in the visitors' 260-run chase. Coming in at No. 3, with India 13-1, the right-hander was dismissed for a 22-ball 17 before Rishabh Pant's unbeaten 113-ball 125 and Hardik Pandya's 55-ball 71, along with a four-fer, bailed India out of crisis and took them to a memorable 2-1 ODI series win over Jos Buttler &amp; Co.</p>


Virat Kohli continues to get support from all corners in the cricketing fraternity as his form remains a cause of concern for Team India. For the unversed, Kohli's century-drought continues since late 2019 and he ended India's just-concluded England tour without a single fifty across formats.

Virat Kohli continues to get support from all corners in the cricketing fraternity as his form remains a cause of concern for Team India. For the unversed, Kohli's century-drought continues since late 2019 and he ended India's just-concluded England tour without a single fifty across formats. Even in IPL 2022, Kohli struggled for his 341 runs -- striking at 115.98 -- and returned with only two half-centuries. Hence, his form has kept his ardent fans worried ahead of this year's T20 World Cup. Many former cricketers have now even questioned his place, although majority have backed him. England's former captain-turned-commentator Kevin Pietersen also joined the bandwagon and backed Kohli to rediscover his form via a recent Instagram post. Pietersen wrote: "Buddy, your career has had some of the best that have played the game only wish they could have done what you have(so far). Be proud, walk tall & enjoy life. There’s way more than just the bubble of cricket out there. You’ll be back." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Kevin Pietersen 🦏 MBE (@kevinpietersen) × Ahead of Sunday's ODI series decider between India and England, KP also commented on Kohli's Instagram post, shared on July 16. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Virat Kohli (@virat.kohli) × Thus, Pietersen has fully backed Kohli to overcome his rut and rediscover his form at the international level. Seeing KP's Instagram post for Kohli, even Serbian tennis star and Wimbledon 2022 winner Novak Djokovic liked the former English cricketer's heartfelt post: ALSO READ | ENG vs IND: Yuvraj Singh reveals how he had a role to play in Rishabh Pant's 125 not out in 3rd ODI In Rohit Sharma-led India's third and final ODI versus England, in Manchester on Sunday (July 17), Kohli failed to get going once again in the visitors' 260-run chase. Coming in at No. 3, with India 13-1, the right-hander was dismissed for a 22-ball 17 before Rishabh Pant's unbeaten 113-ball 125 and Hardik Pandya's 55-ball 71, along with a four-fer, bailed India out of crisis and took them to a memorable 2-1 ODI series win over Jos Buttler & Co.

Serbian star Novak Djokovic reacts to Kevin Pietersen's Instagram post backing under-fire Virat Kohli

<p>Virat Kohli has been receiving messages of support from all corners amid criticism over his poor form for Team India. Kohli has struggled for consistency across formats and has not been able to notch up big scores. He has not scored an international century since November 2019 and is on the verge of completing 1,000 days without scoring a ton for Team India.</p>

<p>Kohli had an average campaign for the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in IPL 2022 following which he was rested from the T20I series against South Africa at home. Kohli was expected to spark a turnaround with the willow in India's ongoing tour of England but he has failed to fire once again.</p>

<p>The batting maestro, who used to score centuries for fun at one stage in his career, has so far managed only 59 runs in his last five innings for India across formats against England amid questions over his spot in India's T20I team ahead of the T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia later this year.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/70-tons-is-no-small-feat-dont-understand-how-could-people-think-about-dropping-virat-kohli-shoaib-akhtar-498048">70 tons is no small feat, don't understand how could people think about dropping Kohli: Shoaib Akhtar</a></p>

<p>"Buddy, your career has had some of the best that have played the game only wish they could have done what you have(so far). Be proud, walk tall &amp; enjoy life. There’s way more than just the bubble of cricket out there. You’ll be back," wrote Pietersen in a post on Instagram.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CgEan4YtvVW/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);">
<div style="padding:16px;">
<div style=" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;">
<div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;">
<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;">&nbsp;</div>
</div>
</div>

<div style="padding: 19% 0;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="display:block; height:50px; margin:0 auto 12px; width:50px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CgEan4YtvVW/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;" target="_blank"><svg height="50px" version="1.1" viewbox="0 0 60 60" width="50px" xmlns="https://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><g fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd" stroke="none" stroke-width="1"><g fill="#000000" transform="translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)"><g><path d="M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631"></path></g></g></g></svg></a></div>

<div style="padding-top: 8px;">
<div style=" color:#3897f0; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CgEan4YtvVW/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;" target="_blank">View this post on Instagram</a></div>
</div>

<div style="padding: 12.5% 0;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;">
<div>
<div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);">&nbsp;</div>
</div>

<div style="margin-left: 8px;">
<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)">&nbsp;</div>
</div>

<div style="margin-left: auto;">
<div style=" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);">&nbsp;</div>
</div>
</div>

<div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;">
<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;">&nbsp;</div>
</div>

<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CgEan4YtvVW/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Kevin Pietersen MBE (@kevinpietersen)</a></p>
</div>
</blockquote>
<script async src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>Kohli took notice of Pietersen's post and responded by dropping a heart emoji in the comments section. His wife and Bollywood actress Anushka Sharma also reacted to Pietersen's post for her husband and posted a heart emoji in the comments section.</p>

<p><img alt="Kohli Anushka" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2528a486-659a-4a82-aa28-e2692321d8c6" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Kohli%20Anushka%20comment.png" /></p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virat-kohli-responds-to-babar-azams-stay-strong-tweet-amid-his-lean-patch-for-team-india-497999">Virat Kohli responds to Babar Azam's tweet after Pakistan skipper lends support amid his lean patch</a></p>

<p>After failing to make an impact in the 2nd ODI against England in Nottingham where he was dismissed for 16 runs, Kohli will be eager to shut down his critics by notching up a big knock in the third and final ODI against the hosts on Sunday (July 17).</p>


Virat Kohli has been receiving messages of support from all corners amid criticism over his poor form for Team India. Kohli has struggled for consistency across formats and has not been able to notch up big scores.

Virat Kohli has been receiving messages of support from all corners amid criticism over his poor form for Team India. Kohli has struggled for consistency across formats and has not been able to notch up big scores. He has not scored an international century since November 2019 and is on the verge of completing 1,000 days without scoring a ton for Team India. Kohli had an average campaign for the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in IPL 2022 following which he was rested from the T20I series against South Africa at home. Kohli was expected to spark a turnaround with the willow in India's ongoing tour of England but he has failed to fire once again. The batting maestro, who used to score centuries for fun at one stage in his career, has so far managed only 59 runs in his last five innings for India across formats against England amid questions over his spot in India's T20I team ahead of the T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia later this year. Also Read: 70 tons is no small feat, don't understand how could people think about dropping Kohli: Shoaib Akhtar "Buddy, your career has had some of the best that have played the game only wish they could have done what you have(so far). Be proud, walk tall & enjoy life. There’s way more than just the bubble of cricket out there. You’ll be back," wrote Pietersen in a post on Instagram. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Kevin Pietersen MBE (@kevinpietersen) × Kohli took notice of Pietersen's post and responded by dropping a heart emoji in the comments section. His wife and Bollywood actress Anushka Sharma also reacted to Pietersen's post for her husband and posted a heart emoji in the comments section. Also Read: Virat Kohli responds to Babar Azam's tweet after Pakistan skipper lends support amid his lean patch After failing to make an impact in the 2nd ODI against England in Nottingham where he was dismissed for 16 runs, Kohli will be eager to shut down his critics by notching up a big knock in the third and final ODI against the hosts on Sunday (July 17).

Virat Kohli, Anushka Sharma respond after Kevin Pietersen sends message of support to former India captain

<p>Former England captain Kevin Pietersen slammed premier Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah for his poor tactics with the ball during England's second innings on Day 4 of the ongoing rescheduled fifth Test between the two sides at Edgbaston. After handing England a tricky target of 378 runs in their second innings, Indian bowlers were expected to trouble the England batters and keep them at bay.</p>

<p>However, the hosts dominated the proceedings as the openers Alex Lees (56) and Zak Crawley (46) got the team off to a good start with a 107-run stand for the first wicket. England then went on to lose three wickets in quick succession after Crawley and Lees' partnership but Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow got the hosts back into the game with an unbeaten stand for the fourth wicket.</p>

<p>Indian skipper Bumrah broke the partnership between Crawley and Lees, and also sent Ollie Pope packing on a duck to revive India's chances in the game after the 107-run opening stand but he failed to find support from other Indian bowlers. Root and Bairstow continued their onslaught as India struggled to pick wickets with England cruising towards the target.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-virat-kohli-celebrates-wildly-after-alex-lees-dismissal-in-5th-test-video-goes-viral-494452">WATCH -&nbsp;Virat Kohli celebrates wildly after Alex Lees' dismissal in 5th Test, video goes viral</a></p>

<p>Pietersen, who is a huge admirer of Bumrah as a bowler, criticised the Indian skipper for failing to get his tactics right against Root and Bairstow during England's second innings. Pietersen reckoned it had become too easy for the England duo to steal singles and the Indian pacer didn't trouble them at all.</p>

<p>"I don't think Bumrah got his tactics right today at all, and I say that with the greatest deal of respect," Pietersen said on <em>Sky Sports </em>post stumps on Day 4.</p>

<p>"There is no way with a reverse swinging ball that he should make it that easy for the batter, because the batter is trying so hard to decipher which way that ball is swinging. When it's reverse swinging at 90mph, the nicest place to bat is at the non-strikers end, and the ability to get to the non-strikers end as easily as they did this afternoon, it's too easy," he added.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-england-coach-mccullum-sends-short-ball-signal-to-bowlers-plots-iyers-dismissal-in-5th-test-494398">WATCH -&nbsp;England coach McCullum sends short-ball signal to bowlers, plots Iyer's dismissal in 5th Test</a></p>

<p>With England requiring only 117 runs to win on Day 5, Pietersen suggested Bumrah and the other Indian bowlers to not repeat their mistakes. Nonetheless, England remain absolute favourites to win the Test match after their solid batting display in their second innings.</p>

<p>"They had long off and long on, and that was pure madness. For half an hour that was pure madness. Even for the last 15-20 minutes of the day's play, pull them right in, say 'Jonny, if you're good enough to hit me over the head, please do it,' hope they don't do it tomorrow morning, but for England's sake, absolutely, let them spread them as far as they want," said Pietersen.&nbsp;</p>


Former England captain Kevin Pietersen slammed premier Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah for his poor tactics with the ball during England's second innings on Day 4 of the ongoing rescheduled fifth Test between the two sides at Edgbaston.

Former England captain Kevin Pietersen slammed premier Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah for his poor tactics with the ball during England's second innings on Day 4 of the ongoing rescheduled fifth Test between the two sides at Edgbaston. After handing England a tricky target of 378 runs in their second innings, Indian bowlers were expected to trouble the England batters and keep them at bay. However, the hosts dominated the proceedings as the openers Alex Lees (56) and Zak Crawley (46) got the team off to a good start with a 107-run stand for the first wicket. England then went on to lose three wickets in quick succession after Crawley and Lees' partnership but Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow got the hosts back into the game with an unbeaten stand for the fourth wicket. Indian skipper Bumrah broke the partnership between Crawley and Lees, and also sent Ollie Pope packing on a duck to revive India's chances in the game after the 107-run opening stand but he failed to find support from other Indian bowlers. Root and Bairstow continued their onslaught as India struggled to pick wickets with England cruising towards the target. Also Read: WATCH - Virat Kohli celebrates wildly after Alex Lees' dismissal in 5th Test, video goes viral Pietersen, who is a huge admirer of Bumrah as a bowler, criticised the Indian skipper for failing to get his tactics right against Root and Bairstow during England's second innings. Pietersen reckoned it had become too easy for the England duo to steal singles and the Indian pacer didn't trouble them at all. "I don't think Bumrah got his tactics right today at all, and I say that with the greatest deal of respect," Pietersen said on Sky Sports post stumps on Day 4. "There is no way with a reverse swinging ball that he should make it that easy for the batter, because the batter is trying so hard to decipher which way that ball is swinging. When it's reverse swinging at 90mph, the nicest place to bat is at the non-strikers end, and the ability to get to the non-strikers end as easily as they did this afternoon, it's too easy," he added. Also Read: WATCH - England coach McCullum sends short-ball signal to bowlers, plots Iyer's dismissal in 5th Test With England requiring only 117 runs to win on Day 5, Pietersen suggested Bumrah and the other Indian bowlers to not repeat their mistakes. Nonetheless, England remain absolute favourites to win the Test match after their solid batting display in their second innings. "They had long off and long on, and that was pure madness. For half an hour that was pure madness. Even for the last 15-20 minutes of the day's play, pull them right in, say 'Jonny, if you're good enough to hit me over the head, please do it,' hope they don't do it tomorrow morning, but for England's sake, absolutely, let them spread them as far as they want," said Pietersen.

'Pure madness': Kevin Pietersen slams Jasprit Bumrah for poor tactics as England dominate India in 5th Test

<p>Former England captain Kevin Pietersen picked his best XI from the recently-concluded Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022. It was a memorable season with debutants Gujarat Titans getting crowned as champions after scripting a fairytale run in their debut campaign in the league. The tournament saw a number of youngsters rise to the occasion once again while some of the experienced campaigners continued their impressive run for their respective teams.</p>

<p>Pietersen named Hardik Pandya the captain of his IPL 2022 XI after the star all-rounder led the Titans to their maiden title triumph in style. Hardik led from the front and contributed with both the bat and the ball to help his side dominate the proceedings throughout the season. He scored 487 runs in 15 matches and also picked up 8 wickets, including a match-winning performance in the final against the Rajasthan Royals.</p>

<p>Pietersen picked Jos Buttler and Quinton de Kock as the two openers in his side. Buttler had a fabulous season finishing as the highest run-getter in IPL 2022 with a staggering 863 runs while De Kock too was consistent with the willow and notched up 508 runs in 15 matches. Lucknow Super Giants skipper KL Rahul, who played as an opener, was picked at no.3 by Pietersen.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/hardik-to-lead-india-in-aakash-chopras-t20-wc-squad-based-on-ipl-2022-virat-rohit-some-big-names-dropped-484083">Hardik to lead India in Aakash Chopra's T20 WC squad based on IPL 2022, Virat, Rohit &amp; some big names dropped</a></p>

<p>"Hit 140* as he and KL Rahul batted the entire 20 overs unbeaten against KKR. That innings, combined with some other solid contributions, means he warrants a place in this team", the former England captain said on Betway explaining the reason behind keeping Rahul at 3.</p>

<p>While there were other popular picks like David Miller and Liam Livingstone in his best XI, Pietersen also had a surprising inclusion in the form of R Ashwin. He snubbed GT spinner Rashid Khan, who picked up 19 wickets at a brilliant economy of 6.59 to keep Ashwin in the side.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/kl-rahul-a-special-player-but-kohli-and-rohit-belong-in-a-different-league-says-former-pakistan-captain-484006">KL Rahul a special player but Kohli and Rohit belong in a different league, says former Pakistan captain</a></p>

<p>"Averaging over 27 with the bat and taking 12 wickets is a great effort. That all-round output means that this was a fine campaign," said Pietersen on Ashwin's selection. He completed his bowling attack with the likes of Yuzvendra Chahal, who was the highest wicket-taker of the season, Umran Malik and Josh Hazlewood.</p>

<p><strong>Kevin Pietersen’s best IPL 2022&nbsp;XI: </strong>Jos Buttler, Quinton de Kock (WK), KL Rahul, David Miller, Hardik Pandya (Captain), Liam Livingstone, Ravichandran Ashwin, Rahul Tewatia, Umran Malik, Yuzvendra Chahal, and Josh Hazlewood.</p>


Former England captain Kevin Pietersen picked his best XI from the recently-concluded Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022. It was a memorable season with debutants Gujarat Titans getting crowned as champions after scripting a fairytale run in their debut campaign in the league.

Former England captain Kevin Pietersen picked his best XI from the recently-concluded Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022. It was a memorable season with debutants Gujarat Titans getting crowned as champions after scripting a fairytale run in their debut campaign in the league. The tournament saw a number of youngsters rise to the occasion once again while some of the experienced campaigners continued their impressive run for their respective teams. Pietersen named Hardik Pandya the captain of his IPL 2022 XI after the star all-rounder led the Titans to their maiden title triumph in style. Hardik led from the front and contributed with both the bat and the ball to help his side dominate the proceedings throughout the season. He scored 487 runs in 15 matches and also picked up 8 wickets, including a match-winning performance in the final against the Rajasthan Royals. Pietersen picked Jos Buttler and Quinton de Kock as the two openers in his side. Buttler had a fabulous season finishing as the highest run-getter in IPL 2022 with a staggering 863 runs while De Kock too was consistent with the willow and notched up 508 runs in 15 matches. Lucknow Super Giants skipper KL Rahul, who played as an opener, was picked at no.3 by Pietersen. Also Read: Hardik to lead India in Aakash Chopra's T20 WC squad based on IPL 2022, Virat, Rohit & some big names dropped "Hit 140* as he and KL Rahul batted the entire 20 overs unbeaten against KKR. That innings, combined with some other solid contributions, means he warrants a place in this team", the former England captain said on Betway explaining the reason behind keeping Rahul at 3. While there were other popular picks like David Miller and Liam Livingstone in his best XI, Pietersen also had a surprising inclusion in the form of R Ashwin. He snubbed GT spinner Rashid Khan, who picked up 19 wickets at a brilliant economy of 6.59 to keep Ashwin in the side. Also Read: KL Rahul a special player but Kohli and Rohit belong in a different league, says former Pakistan captain "Averaging over 27 with the bat and taking 12 wickets is a great effort. That all-round output means that this was a fine campaign," said Pietersen on Ashwin's selection. He completed his bowling attack with the likes of Yuzvendra Chahal, who was the highest wicket-taker of the season, Umran Malik and Josh Hazlewood. Kevin Pietersen’s best IPL 2022 XI: Jos Buttler, Quinton de Kock (WK), KL Rahul, David Miller, Hardik Pandya (Captain), Liam Livingstone, Ravichandran Ashwin, Rahul Tewatia, Umran Malik, Yuzvendra Chahal, and Josh Hazlewood.

No Rashid Khan in Kevin Pietersen's best XI of IPL 2022, Hardik Pandya, Jos Buttler and KL Rahul feature

<p>Matthew Hayden recently recalled his fondest memories of his former Australian teammate Andrew Symonds, who passed away on Saturday (May 14) after a tragic car crash in Queensland, Australia. Symonds was driving his car when it got off the road and rolled over resulting in serious injuries to the former Aussie all-rounder.</p>

<p>Hayden, who shared the dressing room with Symonds for a number of years while playing for Australia, recalled a Test match between England and Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) when he slammed a brilliant knock of 156 runs. Hayden revealed Symonds, who was often labelled as a white-ball specialist, always wanted to be a Test cricketer.</p>

<p>“My one beautiful memory of Symonds was when he leapt into my arms at the MCG because he always wanted to be known not just as a white-ball specialist but as a Test cricketer. To see him score those runs at the Boxing Day Test in front of 90,000 people," Hayden said while speaking on Star Sports.</p>

<p>"I've still got a crushing injury from when he landed on top of my head with his hands elated in the heaven. His mother, father, brother, sister so proudly recognised on that day what a special human being he was,” he added.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/wish-we-had-one-more-day-andrew-symonds-sister-heartbroken-leaves-note-on-his-accident-site-479567">Wish we had one more day: Andrew Symonds' sister 'heartbroken', leaves note on his accident site</a></p>

<p>It was a sensational knock from Symonds with Hayden batting on the other hand during the MCG Test. Hayden also recalled a funny episode from the game and revealed how Kevin Pietersen got an epic response from Symonds after continuously trying to sledge him during his knock.</p>

<p>"He was batting at MCG and Kevin Pietersen was giving him a hard time from cover point. He took about 20 balls to get off strike and Symonds was just gutted because he desperately wanted to play Test cricket," Hayden said.</p>

<p>"Kevin continued after which Symonds said ‘Kevin, just because you have tough stickers on your arm doesn’t mean you're tough," he added.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/captain-is-not-your-peon-former-pakistan-captain-slams-kkr-head-coach-after-shreays-iyers-revelations-479572">'Captain is not your peon': Former Pakistan captain slams KKR head coach after&nbsp;Iyer's revelations</a></p>

<p>Hayden and Symonds were part of Australia's World Cup-winning squad in 2003. He was also part of the team when Australia lifted their second consecutive World Cup under Ricky Ponting in 2007.</p>


Matthew Hayden recently recalled his fondest memories of his former Australian teammate Andrew Symonds, who passed away on Saturday (May 14) after a tragic car crash in Queensland, Australia.

Matthew Hayden recently recalled his fondest memories of his former Australian teammate Andrew Symonds, who passed away on Saturday (May 14) after a tragic car crash in Queensland, Australia. Symonds was driving his car when it got off the road and rolled over resulting in serious injuries to the former Aussie all-rounder. Hayden, who shared the dressing room with Symonds for a number of years while playing for Australia, recalled a Test match between England and Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) when he slammed a brilliant knock of 156 runs. Hayden revealed Symonds, who was often labelled as a white-ball specialist, always wanted to be a Test cricketer. “My one beautiful memory of Symonds was when he leapt into my arms at the MCG because he always wanted to be known not just as a white-ball specialist but as a Test cricketer. To see him score those runs at the Boxing Day Test in front of 90,000 people," Hayden said while speaking on Star Sports. "I've still got a crushing injury from when he landed on top of my head with his hands elated in the heaven. His mother, father, brother, sister so proudly recognised on that day what a special human being he was,” he added. Also Read: Wish we had one more day: Andrew Symonds' sister 'heartbroken', leaves note on his accident site It was a sensational knock from Symonds with Hayden batting on the other hand during the MCG Test. Hayden also recalled a funny episode from the game and revealed how Kevin Pietersen got an epic response from Symonds after continuously trying to sledge him during his knock. "He was batting at MCG and Kevin Pietersen was giving him a hard time from cover point. He took about 20 balls to get off strike and Symonds was just gutted because he desperately wanted to play Test cricket," Hayden said. "Kevin continued after which Symonds said ‘Kevin, just because you have tough stickers on your arm doesn’t mean you're tough," he added. Also Read: 'Captain is not your peon': Former Pakistan captain slams KKR head coach after Iyer's revelations Hayden and Symonds were part of Australia's World Cup-winning squad in 2003. He was also part of the team when Australia lifted their second consecutive World Cup under Ricky Ponting in 2007.

'Just because you have tough stickers..': Hayden recalls epic banter between Andrew Symonds & Kevin Pietersen

<p>Virat Kohli has endured a lean patch in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 as he has struggled to get going with the bat. Despite having notched up a couple of good scores, Kohli has looked far from his best for his side Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) this season.</p>

<p>However, the Indian run-machine bounced back to form with a gritty half-century in RCB's last outing against Gujarat Titans. Opening the innings, Kohli scored 58 off 53 balls to help RCB post a fighting total of 170 runs on the board but Faf du Plessis &amp; Co. lost the game after sensational cameos from Rashid Khan and Rahul Tewatia in GT's run-chase.</p>

<p>Kohli, who is often regarded as one of the best batters of all time, has been backed by many to soon return to the top of his game amid his poor patch. Recently, former England cricket team captain Kevin Pietersen compared Kohli with football legend Cristiano Ronaldo and explained how they both are like similar brands in their respective teams.</p>

<p>Ronaldo is considered one of the greatest footballers of all time and continues to be one of the most prolific goal-scorers in world football despite being 37. The Manchester United superstar has shown no signs of slowing down despite his growing age and continues to be a game-changer for his club and country.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ms-dhoni-got-support-from-virat-kohli-ravi-shastri-yuvraj-singh-rues-lack-of-backing-for-omission-475753">MS Dhoni got support from Virat Kohli-Ravi Shastri: Yuvraj Singh rues lack of backing for omission</a></p>

<p>While talking about how Kohli needs to continue his rhythm after his morale-boosting half-century against GT, Pietersen urged the RCB star to look at Ronaldo.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"What he needs to do is to have a look at Manchester United and Cristiano Ronaldo. Two similar brands in their different teams and in their sports. You have Virat&nbsp;Kohli right at the top of cricket, his brand is right at the top of cricket.</p>

<p>Cristiano Ronaldo is right at the top of football. One plays for Manchester United, and one plays for RCB and India. Those are big brands and they are going to be talking points. Those big brands also want to maintain their status in the game by winning," Pietersen said on <em>Star Sports</em>.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/better-to-calm-down-maintain-limits-ex-pakistan-captain-on-useless-comparisons-between-ipl-and-psl-475759">'Better to calm down &amp; maintain limits': Ex-Pakistan captain on 'useless' comparisons between IPL and PSL</a></p>

<p>Furthr lauding Kohli, Pietersen called his pedigree in run-chases as his greatest attribute and also hailed the RCB stalwart as the greatest batter India has ever produced. It is a huge compliment from Piteresen for Kohli as India has produced several batting legends like Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Sunil Gavaskar among others.</p>

<p>"Virat Kohli's greatest attribute, how many games he has won for India while chasing. Virat Kohli is my greatest batter in this country because he has won so many games for India chasing. That is something you look at, that is something he cherishes and is so proud of," Pietersen said.</p>


Virat Kohli has endured a lean patch in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 as he has struggled to get going with the bat. Despite having notched up a couple of good scores, Kohli has looked far from his best for his side Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) this season.

Virat Kohli has endured a lean patch in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 as he has struggled to get going with the bat. Despite having notched up a couple of good scores, Kohli has looked far from his best for his side Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) this season. However, the Indian run-machine bounced back to form with a gritty half-century in RCB's last outing against Gujarat Titans. Opening the innings, Kohli scored 58 off 53 balls to help RCB post a fighting total of 170 runs on the board but Faf du Plessis & Co. lost the game after sensational cameos from Rashid Khan and Rahul Tewatia in GT's run-chase. Kohli, who is often regarded as one of the best batters of all time, has been backed by many to soon return to the top of his game amid his poor patch. Recently, former England cricket team captain Kevin Pietersen compared Kohli with football legend Cristiano Ronaldo and explained how they both are like similar brands in their respective teams. Ronaldo is considered one of the greatest footballers of all time and continues to be one of the most prolific goal-scorers in world football despite being 37. The Manchester United superstar has shown no signs of slowing down despite his growing age and continues to be a game-changer for his club and country. Also Read: MS Dhoni got support from Virat Kohli-Ravi Shastri: Yuvraj Singh rues lack of backing for omission While talking about how Kohli needs to continue his rhythm after his morale-boosting half-century against GT, Pietersen urged the RCB star to look at Ronaldo. "What he needs to do is to have a look at Manchester United and Cristiano Ronaldo. Two similar brands in their different teams and in their sports. You have Virat Kohli right at the top of cricket, his brand is right at the top of cricket. Cristiano Ronaldo is right at the top of football. One plays for Manchester United, and one plays for RCB and India. Those are big brands and they are going to be talking points. Those big brands also want to maintain their status in the game by winning," Pietersen said on Star Sports. Also Read: 'Better to calm down & maintain limits': Ex-Pakistan captain on 'useless' comparisons between IPL and PSL Furthr lauding Kohli, Pietersen called his pedigree in run-chases as his greatest attribute and also hailed the RCB stalwart as the greatest batter India has ever produced. It is a huge compliment from Piteresen for Kohli as India has produced several batting legends like Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Sunil Gavaskar among others. "Virat Kohli's greatest attribute, how many games he has won for India while chasing. Virat Kohli is my greatest batter in this country because he has won so many games for India chasing. That is something you look at, that is something he cherishes and is so proud of," Pietersen said.

Kevin Pietersen compares Virat Kohli with Cristiano Ronaldo, calls him India's 'greatest batter'

<p>Former England captain-turned-commentator Kevin Pietersen is in awe of the Wankhede crowd's reaction when MS Dhoni came out to bat in Chennai Super Kings' (CSK) tough 188-run chase versus Punjab Kings (PBKS) in match 38 of IPL 2022 edition, held on Monday evening (April 25).</p>

<p>After the fall of Ambati Rayudu, who played a stupendous 39-ball 78, the Wankhede crowd gave him a resounding cheer before shifting focus on Dhoni, the former CSK skipper. Dhoni came out in the middle on the back of a match-winning 13-ball 28 not out in Chennai's win over Mumbai in their last encounter. With the equation reading 35 off 13 balls, the CSK loyalists -- who were in majority at the Wankhede -- still pinned their hopes on the 40-year-old.</p>

<p>Dhoni started the final over, with CSK in need of an improbable 27, with a huge six to light up the atmosphere. However, he fell on the third delivery for an 8-ball 12. Despite his dismissal and CSK's defeat, the crowd was still buzzing, which left Pietersen stunned. The former cricketer feels such a rousing crowd response is one of the reasons why IPL deserves to be held in India. He also opined that it is the reason for&nbsp;the league, CSK, and Dhoni's ever-increasing followers worldwide.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/shikhar-dhawan-breaks-rohit-sharmas-record-achieves-elsuive-milestone-against-csk-in-ipl-474003"><strong>Shikhar Dhawan breaks Rohit Sharma's record, achieves elusive milestone against CSK in IPL</strong></a></p>

<p>"It was unbelievable. It was incredible. That's exactly why the IPL deserves to be played in the country. The energy and excitement of that man coming to the wicket is none other than like anywhere else," Pietersen told Star Sports.<br />
<br />
"It's not a full capacity here as the bottom tier is placarded because of the restrictions. However, that did not matter at all. It was difficult calling the game, it was so noisy inside the commentary box. The support for him, the CSK and the IPL is incredible. It's still noisy. The game's finished, they lost and it's still noisy. Incredible!," opined Pietersen.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/youre-bowling-at-him-theres-not-one-red-shirt-in-crowd-rabada-praises-rishi-after-pbks-beat-csk-473940"><strong>You're bowling at him, there's not one red shirt in crowd: Rabada praises Rishi after PBKS beat CSK</strong></a></p>

<p>Talking about the PBKS-CSK face-off, the Mayank Agarwal-led side completed a double over seventh-ranked Chennai with a hard-fought 11-run win. Being asked to bat first, they rode on Shikhar Dhawan's 88 to post 187-4 before Arshdeep Singh, Kagiso Rabada and Rishi Dhawan starred with the ball to restrict CSK for 176-6.</p>


Former England captain-turned-commentator Kevin Pietersen is in awe of the Wankhede crowd's reaction when MS Dhoni came out to bat in Chennai Super Kings' (CSK) tough 188-run chase versus Punjab Kings (PBKS) in match 38 of IPL 2022 edition, held on Monday evening (April 25).

Former England captain-turned-commentator Kevin Pietersen is in awe of the Wankhede crowd's reaction when MS Dhoni came out to bat in Chennai Super Kings' (CSK) tough 188-run chase versus Punjab Kings (PBKS) in match 38 of IPL 2022 edition, held on Monday evening (April 25). After the fall of Ambati Rayudu, who played a stupendous 39-ball 78, the Wankhede crowd gave him a resounding cheer before shifting focus on Dhoni, the former CSK skipper. Dhoni came out in the middle on the back of a match-winning 13-ball 28 not out in Chennai's win over Mumbai in their last encounter. With the equation reading 35 off 13 balls, the CSK loyalists -- who were in majority at the Wankhede -- still pinned their hopes on the 40-year-old. Dhoni started the final over, with CSK in need of an improbable 27, with a huge six to light up the atmosphere. However, he fell on the third delivery for an 8-ball 12. Despite his dismissal and CSK's defeat, the crowd was still buzzing, which left Pietersen stunned. The former cricketer feels such a rousing crowd response is one of the reasons why IPL deserves to be held in India. He also opined that it is the reason for the league, CSK, and Dhoni's ever-increasing followers worldwide. ALSO READ | Shikhar Dhawan breaks Rohit Sharma's record, achieves elusive milestone against CSK in IPL "It was unbelievable. It was incredible. That's exactly why the IPL deserves to be played in the country. The energy and excitement of that man coming to the wicket is none other than like anywhere else," Pietersen told Star Sports. "It's not a full capacity here as the bottom tier is placarded because of the restrictions. However, that did not matter at all. It was difficult calling the game, it was so noisy inside the commentary box. The support for him, the CSK and the IPL is incredible. It's still noisy. The game's finished, they lost and it's still noisy. Incredible!," opined Pietersen. ALSO READ | You're bowling at him, there's not one red shirt in crowd: Rabada praises Rishi after PBKS beat CSK Talking about the PBKS-CSK face-off, the Mayank Agarwal-led side completed a double over seventh-ranked Chennai with a hard-fought 11-run win. Being asked to bat first, they rode on Shikhar Dhawan's 88 to post 187-4 before Arshdeep Singh, Kagiso Rabada and Rishi Dhawan starred with the ball to restrict CSK for 176-6.

Unbelievable: Pietersen reacts to Wankhede crowd's cheering for MS Dhoni during CSK run-chase vs PBKS

<p>Virat Kohli's lean patch continued in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 as he bagged a second consecutive duck in the clash against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on Saturday. Kohli has been far from his best so far this season as he has failed to fire with the bat and has struggled for consistency.</p>

<p>After being dismissed by Dushmantha Chameera on a golden duck in RCB's last game against Lucknow Super Giants, Kohli once again failed to open his account against SRH at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai on Saturday. Kohli came out at number three after RCB opted to bat first in the game and edged the very first ball he faced from Marco Jansen to Aiden Markram at the second slip.</p>

<p>Kohli was left dejected after yet another poor outing as the disappointment was clearly visible on his face after being dismissed for a duck. Kohli's ongoing poor patch has become one of the major talking points this season with several former cricketers and experts sharing their views on the batting maestro's struggles.</p>

<p>Former England captain Kevin Pietersen also gave his take on Kohli's woeful run with the willow and said he himself had seen such rough patches in his career and that it is a 'very lonely' place to be at. Pietersen said Kohli is currently in a very dark place and needs to come out of it sooner.</p>

<p>"I think he is at point and having been at that point in my career on a couple of occasions, it is not nice. It is a very lonely, lonely place especially when you have all eyes on you. Every single thing is Kohli, Kohli and Kohli. He is in that dark place, I just hope it ends quickly because the game needs him to score runs," Pietersen told <em>Star Sports.</em></p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-virat-kohlis-batting-woes-continue-dismissed-for-second-consecutive-golden-duck-watch-473267">Virat Kohli's batting woes continue, dismissed for second consecutive golden duck - WATCH</a></p>

<p>As many as three RCB batters, including Kohli were dismissed on ducks in their clash against SRH on Saturday as Faf du Plessis &amp; Co. were bundled out for a paltry 68 - the lowest total so far this season. Suyash Prabhudessai top-scored for RCB with 15 off 20 balls.</p>

<p>SRH chased down the low-key target comfortably with as many as 12 overs to spare to thrash RCB by 9 wickets and secure their fourth win on the trot this season.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


Virat Kohli's lean patch continued in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 as he bagged a second consecutive duck in the clash against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on Saturday.

Virat Kohli's lean patch continued in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 as he bagged a second consecutive duck in the clash against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on Saturday. Kohli has been far from his best so far this season as he has failed to fire with the bat and has struggled for consistency. After being dismissed by Dushmantha Chameera on a golden duck in RCB's last game against Lucknow Super Giants, Kohli once again failed to open his account against SRH at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai on Saturday. Kohli came out at number three after RCB opted to bat first in the game and edged the very first ball he faced from Marco Jansen to Aiden Markram at the second slip. Kohli was left dejected after yet another poor outing as the disappointment was clearly visible on his face after being dismissed for a duck. Kohli's ongoing poor patch has become one of the major talking points this season with several former cricketers and experts sharing their views on the batting maestro's struggles. Former England captain Kevin Pietersen also gave his take on Kohli's woeful run with the willow and said he himself had seen such rough patches in his career and that it is a 'very lonely' place to be at. Pietersen said Kohli is currently in a very dark place and needs to come out of it sooner. "I think he is at point and having been at that point in my career on a couple of occasions, it is not nice. It is a very lonely, lonely place especially when you have all eyes on you. Every single thing is Kohli, Kohli and Kohli. He is in that dark place, I just hope it ends quickly because the game needs him to score runs," Pietersen told Star Sports. Also Read: Virat Kohli's batting woes continue, dismissed for second consecutive golden duck - WATCH As many as three RCB batters, including Kohli were dismissed on ducks in their clash against SRH on Saturday as Faf du Plessis & Co. were bundled out for a paltry 68 - the lowest total so far this season. Suyash Prabhudessai top-scored for RCB with 15 off 20 balls. SRH chased down the low-key target comfortably with as many as 12 overs to spare to thrash RCB by 9 wickets and secure their fourth win on the trot this season.

'He is in that dark place': Kevin Pietersen after Virat Kohli's second consecutive duck in IPL 2022

<p>Former England captain Kevin Pietersen has slammed Delhi Capitals (DC) skipper Rishabh Pant, assistant coach Pravin Amre and others for their 'unacceptable' behaviour after a controversial no-ball call during their side's clash against Rajasthan Royals (RR) in IPL 2022 on Friday.</p>

<p>DC's assistant coach Amre had stormed onto the field to protest against the on-field umpire's call after a no-ball call went RR's way in the last over of the match. Rovman Powell was out batting in the middle with Kuldeep Yadav in the final over of DC's 218-run chase when the incident stole the limelight.</p>

<p>With 36 required off the last over, Powell struck two&nbsp;sixes off the first two deliveries from Obed McCoy in the 20th over&nbsp;before the West Indies fast bowler bowled an above waist-height full-toss which was also dispatched for a six. While it appeared to be a clear no-ball, the on-field umpire adjudged it a legal delivery triggering animatic reactions from the DC camp.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-rishabh-pant-shardul-thakur-fined-pravin-amre-banned-for-one-game-after-no-ball-controversy-473123">Rishabh Pant, Shardul Thakur fined, Pravin Amre banned for one game after no-ball controversy</a></p>

<p>After it was not given a no-ball, Powell signalled the umpire to check with the third umpire.&nbsp;DC skipper, Pant and all-rounder Shardul Thakur were seen furious in the dugout as Pant even went on to signal his batters to leave the field in protest. However, coach Amre was then sent on the field to talk with the umpires in protest against the no-ball call.</p>

<p>While many agreed it was an error on the umpire's part as it was a clear no-ball, several former cricketers and experts criticised Delhi Capitals for their actions. Pietersen lashed out at Pant, Amre and others and said what he saw from them was not good for the game of cricket.</p>

<p>"I don’t think that would have happened if Ricky Ponting was there. I think Jos Buttler had every right to walk up to Rishabh Pant and say ‘what on earth are you doing?’ to send one of their coaches onto the field and think that was the correct behaviour," said Pietersen on Star Sports.</p>

<p>“We play the gentleman’s game. People make mistakes. How many times have we nicked off or not nicked off and been given out? Been given out LBW when we were not out? Myself and Swanny have played the great game for 20 odd years. And you see stuff like we have seen in the last 30 minutes, it’s not good for the game of cricket. It’s not good at all.</p>

<p>“I don’t know who they think they are but that was a mistake, that was a huge, huge mistake.</p>

<p>“The biggest mistake is the coach running onto the field and talking to the umpire. I just do not understand the coach, he is a senior figure in those rooms. Rishabh Pant was calling them off. They wanted to walk off. For me, that was unacceptable and I hope I never ever see that again in the game of cricket because that’s not why we play cricket and not how we play cricket,” he added.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/updated-ipl-2022-points-table-after-delhi-capitals-versus-rajasthan-royals-clash-473068">Updated IPL 2022 points table after Delhi Capitals versus Rajasthan Royals clash</a></p>

<p>DC head coach Ricky Ponting had missed the game as he was in quarantine after one of his family members tested positive for COVID-19. Despite DC's animated protest, the no-ball decision stood as they went on to lose the game by 15 runs after Powell only managed 2 runs off the next three&nbsp;balls.</p>

<p>IPL Governing Council reprimanded Pant, Amre and Shardul for their behaviour by imposing fines on them. While Pant and Amre were docked 100% of their match fees, Shardul was fined 50% of his match fees. Amre has also been banned for one game by the IPL Governing Council.</p>


Former England captain Kevin Pietersen has slammed Delhi Capitals (DC) skipper Rishabh Pant, assistant coach Pravin Amre and others for their 'unacceptable' behaviour after a controversial no-ball call during their side's clash against Rajasthan Royals (RR) in IPL 2022 on Friday.

Former England captain Kevin Pietersen has slammed Delhi Capitals (DC) skipper Rishabh Pant, assistant coach Pravin Amre and others for their 'unacceptable' behaviour after a controversial no-ball call during their side's clash against Rajasthan Royals (RR) in IPL 2022 on Friday. DC's assistant coach Amre had stormed onto the field to protest against the on-field umpire's call after a no-ball call went RR's way in the last over of the match. Rovman Powell was out batting in the middle with Kuldeep Yadav in the final over of DC's 218-run chase when the incident stole the limelight. With 36 required off the last over, Powell struck two sixes off the first two deliveries from Obed McCoy in the 20th over before the West Indies fast bowler bowled an above waist-height full-toss which was also dispatched for a six. While it appeared to be a clear no-ball, the on-field umpire adjudged it a legal delivery triggering animatic reactions from the DC camp. Also Read: Rishabh Pant, Shardul Thakur fined, Pravin Amre banned for one game after no-ball controversy After it was not given a no-ball, Powell signalled the umpire to check with the third umpire. DC skipper, Pant and all-rounder Shardul Thakur were seen furious in the dugout as Pant even went on to signal his batters to leave the field in protest. However, coach Amre was then sent on the field to talk with the umpires in protest against the no-ball call. While many agreed it was an error on the umpire's part as it was a clear no-ball, several former cricketers and experts criticised Delhi Capitals for their actions. Pietersen lashed out at Pant, Amre and others and said what he saw from them was not good for the game of cricket. "I don’t think that would have happened if Ricky Ponting was there. I think Jos Buttler had every right to walk up to Rishabh Pant and say ‘what on earth are you doing?’ to send one of their coaches onto the field and think that was the correct behaviour," said Pietersen on Star Sports. “We play the gentleman’s game. People make mistakes. How many times have we nicked off or not nicked off and been given out? Been given out LBW when we were not out? Myself and Swanny have played the great game for 20 odd years. And you see stuff like we have seen in the last 30 minutes, it’s not good for the game of cricket. It’s not good at all. “I don’t know who they think they are but that was a mistake, that was a huge, huge mistake. “The biggest mistake is the coach running onto the field and talking to the umpire. I just do not understand the coach, he is a senior figure in those rooms. Rishabh Pant was calling them off. They wanted to walk off. For me, that was unacceptable and I hope I never ever see that again in the game of cricket because that’s not why we play cricket and not how we play cricket,” he added. Also Read: Updated IPL 2022 points table after Delhi Capitals versus Rajasthan Royals clash DC head coach Ricky Ponting had missed the game as he was in quarantine after one of his family members tested positive for COVID-19. Despite DC's animated protest, the no-ball decision stood as they went on to lose the game by 15 runs after Powell only managed 2 runs off the next three balls. IPL Governing Council reprimanded Pant, Amre and Shardul for their behaviour by imposing fines on them. While Pant and Amre were docked 100% of their match fees, Shardul was fined 50% of his match fees. Amre has also been banned for one game by the IPL Governing Council.

'Who do they think they are?': Kevin Pietersen slams Rishabh Pant & Co. after no-ball fiasco against RR

<p>Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have had an ordinary run in IPL 2022 so far. While the former Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) has amassed only&nbsp;119 runs at 19.83 and a strike rate of 123.95 in seven outings, Mumbai skipper Rohit has 114 runs in an equal number of&nbsp;outings, at an average of less than 20.</p>

<p>Kohli fell for a golden duck in RCB's 18-run win over Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in their last encounter whereas Team India and MI captain Rohit departed for a two-ball duck in his side's three-wicket loss to Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in match 33 of IPL 2022, on Thursday evening (April 21). In this way, he now also has most ducks in IPL history (14). Thus, both the Indian superstar batters have been far from their best. In addition, Kohli has&nbsp;played 100th successive innings, across formats, without a triple-figure score. Thus, the two batters' form is a concern for Team India going forward.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In a column with Betway, former England captain Kevin Pietersen came in support of Kohli and Rohit and further pointed out that these players have been cooked up by their national board. "Whereas Jos Buttler benefitted from a break during England's Test series in the West Indies, you've had the likes of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Jonny Bairstow playing all formats and living in bubbles for months on end,” Pietersen said.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-rohit-sharma-achieves-dubious-feat-with-most-ducks-after-2-ball-dismissal-in-mi-csk-clash-472782"><strong>IPL 2022: Rohit Sharma achieves unwanted record with most ducks after 2-ball dismissal in MI-CSK clash</strong></a></p>

<p>"That is not any way to maximise world-class talent. They've churned out money for their boards by fulfilling most matches in every format in the last couple of years and, as star players, they are under constant pressure with millions of people watching them,” Pietersen further added. "The cricket schedule is crazy. Even as a commentator, I’m working flat out. But, clearly, I’m not under the pressure that these guys are,” Pietersen argued.</p>

<p>"Honestly, I think these guys need a six-month break. Getaway to the US, to London, to wherever elsewhere travel is unrestricted. Clear your head, come back and rack up the runs again. It's unrealistic, but it would do some of these guys the world of good," Pietersen further opined.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-can-rohit-sharmas-mumbai-indians-still-qualify-for-playoffs-after-seventh-straight-defeat-473015"><strong>IPL 2022: Can Rohit Sharma's Mumbai Indians still qualify for playoffs after seventh straight defeat?</strong></a></p>

<p>It will be interesting to see how RCB uses Kohli for the rest of IPL 2022 whereas Rohit-starrer MI are on the brink of an early elimination. If Mumbai doesn't qualify, it will make sense for the franchise to rest Rohit so that he can rediscover his form going forward. Rohit has had runs for India in the recent past, however, it seems he also needs some time off in a&nbsp;year&nbsp;comprising T20 World Cup, to be held later this year in Australia.</p>


Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have had an ordinary run in IPL 2022 so far. While the former Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) has amassed only 119 runs at 19.83 and a strike rate of 123.

Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have had an ordinary run in IPL 2022 so far. While the former Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) has amassed only 119 runs at 19.83 and a strike rate of 123.95 in seven outings, Mumbai skipper Rohit has 114 runs in an equal number of outings, at an average of less than 20. Kohli fell for a golden duck in RCB's 18-run win over Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in their last encounter whereas Team India and MI captain Rohit departed for a two-ball duck in his side's three-wicket loss to Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in match 33 of IPL 2022, on Thursday evening (April 21). In this way, he now also has most ducks in IPL history (14). Thus, both the Indian superstar batters have been far from their best. In addition, Kohli has played 100th successive innings, across formats, without a triple-figure score. Thus, the two batters' form is a concern for Team India going forward. In a column with Betway, former England captain Kevin Pietersen came in support of Kohli and Rohit and further pointed out that these players have been cooked up by their national board. "Whereas Jos Buttler benefitted from a break during England's Test series in the West Indies, you've had the likes of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Jonny Bairstow playing all formats and living in bubbles for months on end,” Pietersen said. ALSO READ | IPL 2022: Rohit Sharma achieves unwanted record with most ducks after 2-ball dismissal in MI-CSK clash "That is not any way to maximise world-class talent. They've churned out money for their boards by fulfilling most matches in every format in the last couple of years and, as star players, they are under constant pressure with millions of people watching them,” Pietersen further added. "The cricket schedule is crazy. Even as a commentator, I’m working flat out. But, clearly, I’m not under the pressure that these guys are,” Pietersen argued. "Honestly, I think these guys need a six-month break. Getaway to the US, to London, to wherever elsewhere travel is unrestricted. Clear your head, come back and rack up the runs again. It's unrealistic, but it would do some of these guys the world of good," Pietersen further opined. ALSO READ | IPL 2022: Can Rohit Sharma's Mumbai Indians still qualify for playoffs after seventh straight defeat? It will be interesting to see how RCB uses Kohli for the rest of IPL 2022 whereas Rohit-starrer MI are on the brink of an early elimination. If Mumbai doesn't qualify, it will make sense for the franchise to rest Rohit so that he can rediscover his form going forward. Rohit has had runs for India in the recent past, however, it seems he also needs some time off in a year comprising T20 World Cup, to be held later this year in Australia.

Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma need a six-month break: Pietersen comes out in support of India's under-fire duo

<p>A 19-year-old Indian Army aspirant has become the darling of the nation after a video of him running on the streets of Noida went viral on social media on Monday (March 21). In the video shared by Indian filmmaker&nbsp;Vinod Kapri, the young man can be seen running towards his home after work.</p>

<p>There are no shorts cuts to success. The hard work put in by an individual and the determination towards achieving the goal is what often separates them from others and helps them realise their dreams. The 19-year-old Pradeep Mehra, who aspires to join the Indian Army one day, is ensuring he is putting the hard yards to in order to fulfil his dream.</p>

<p>In the video shared by Kapri, Pradeep can be seen running relentlessly as he hopes to reach his home soon and cook a meal for himself and his brother. The video was shot by the filmmaker after Pradeep ran past his car. Kapri offered to drop Pradeep home but the young man, who works at a McDonald's in Noida, politely refused his offer to ensure his training routine is not compromised.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/watch-mcdonalds-employee-19-runs-10-km-each-night-in-hopes-of-joining-indian-army-464351">Watch: McDonald's employee, 19, runs 10 km each night in hopes of joining Indian Army</a></p>

<p>When asked why did he have to run ten kilometres every day from his workplace to home, Pradeep said he was preparing to join the Indian Army. The 19-year-old's dedication and unwavering resolve has left many in awe on social media, including former England cricket team captain Kevin Pietersen and former India spinner Harbhajan Singh.</p>

<p>Lauding Pradeep for his hard work and dedication towards his dreams, Pietersen took to Twitter to share his video and wrote - "This will make your Monday morning! What A Guy."</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">This will make your Monday morning! What A Guy! <a href="https://t.co/RLknfAsCKE">https://t.co/RLknfAsCKE</a></p>
— Kevin Pietersen(@KP24) <a href="https://twitter.com/KP24/status/1505791422485733377?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 21, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>Harbhajan called Pradeep a winner and termed the video 'pure gold'. "Champions are made like this .. whether on sports field or anything they do in life .. He will be a winner thank you vinod for sharing this .. yes PURE GOLD," Harbhajan wrote.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">champions are made like this .. whether on sports field or anything they do in life .. He will be a winner thank you vinod for sharing this .. yes PURE GOLD <a href="https://t.co/2tzc28nbNu">https://t.co/2tzc28nbNu</a></p>
— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) <a href="https://twitter.com/harbhajan_singh/status/1505617663023673345?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 20, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ms-dhoni-no-longer-the-finisher-he-once-was-has-to-bat-up-the-order-for-csk-says-ex-india-cricketer-464474">MS Dhoni no longer the finisher he once was, has to bat up the order for CSK, says ex-India cricketer</a></p>

<p>Pradeep's sheer determination towards his goals and his relentless pursuit of the same has managed to floor millions across the nation. Celebrities from all walks of life have hailed the 19-year-old as an inspiration after coming across the video shared by Kapri.</p>

<p>When asked about the reason for him to run during the night, Pradeep can be heard telling Kapri that he has to cook food in the morning before leaving for work which leaves him with little or no time to complete his training.&nbsp; Pradeep has won the hearts of many on social media and his video is likely to inspire people to follow their dreams no matter what life throws at them.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


A 19-year-old Indian Army aspirant has become the darling of the nation after a video of him running on the streets of Noida went viral on social media on Monday (March 21).

A 19-year-old Indian Army aspirant has become the darling of the nation after a video of him running on the streets of Noida went viral on social media on Monday (March 21). In the video shared by Indian filmmaker Vinod Kapri, the young man can be seen running towards his home after work. There are no shorts cuts to success. The hard work put in by an individual and the determination towards achieving the goal is what often separates them from others and helps them realise their dreams. The 19-year-old Pradeep Mehra, who aspires to join the Indian Army one day, is ensuring he is putting the hard yards to in order to fulfil his dream. In the video shared by Kapri, Pradeep can be seen running relentlessly as he hopes to reach his home soon and cook a meal for himself and his brother. The video was shot by the filmmaker after Pradeep ran past his car. Kapri offered to drop Pradeep home but the young man, who works at a McDonald's in Noida, politely refused his offer to ensure his training routine is not compromised. Also Read: Watch: McDonald's employee, 19, runs 10 km each night in hopes of joining Indian Army When asked why did he have to run ten kilometres every day from his workplace to home, Pradeep said he was preparing to join the Indian Army. The 19-year-old's dedication and unwavering resolve has left many in awe on social media, including former England cricket team captain Kevin Pietersen and former India spinner Harbhajan Singh. Lauding Pradeep for his hard work and dedication towards his dreams, Pietersen took to Twitter to share his video and wrote - "This will make your Monday morning! What A Guy." This will make your Monday morning! What A Guy! https://t.co/RLknfAsCKE — Kevin Pietersen(@KP24) March 21, 2022 × Harbhajan called Pradeep a winner and termed the video 'pure gold'. "Champions are made like this .. whether on sports field or anything they do in life .. He will be a winner thank you vinod for sharing this .. yes PURE GOLD," Harbhajan wrote. champions are made like this .. whether on sports field or anything they do in life .. He will be a winner thank you vinod for sharing this .. yes PURE GOLD https://t.co/2tzc28nbNu — Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) March 20, 2022 × Also Read: MS Dhoni no longer the finisher he once was, has to bat up the order for CSK, says ex-India cricketer Pradeep's sheer determination towards his goals and his relentless pursuit of the same has managed to floor millions across the nation. Celebrities from all walks of life have hailed the 19-year-old as an inspiration after coming across the video shared by Kapri. When asked about the reason for him to run during the night, Pradeep can be heard telling Kapri that he has to cook food in the morning before leaving for work which leaves him with little or no time to complete his training. Pradeep has won the hearts of many on social media and his video is likely to inspire people to follow their dreams no matter what life throws at them.

'What a guy': Kevin Pietersen lauds 19-year-old Indian Army aspirant after his midnight run video goes viral

<p>Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote to some of the most loved overseas cricketers in the country on the occasion of India's 73rd Republic Day on January 26. India's constitution came to effect on January 26, 1950, and the date is celebrated every year as Republic Day. On Wednesday, India celebrated its 73rd Republic Day in the 75th year of independence making the day a lot more special.</p>

<p>Thus, PM Modi decided to personally write to some of the cricketers who have been great ambassadors to the country and have maintained a close connection with the Indian fans. The Indian Prime Minister wrote to the likes of Jonty Rhodes, Chris Gayle and Kevin Pietersen thanking them for their love and affection towards India.</p>

<p>After Gayle and Rhodes, Pietersen too took to social media to acknowledge PM Modi's kind words for him and expressed his love for India. The former England captain, who currently stays in South Africa, said he has grown more in love with India on every visit ever since he first stepped into the country in 2003.</p>

<p>"Dear, Mr&nbsp;@narendramodi, Thanks for the incredibly kind words in your letter to me. Ever since stepping foot in India in 2003, I’ve grown more in love with your country on every visit.&nbsp;I was recently asked, ‘what do you most like about India’ &amp; my answer was easy&nbsp;- THE PEOPLE," Pietersen wrote in a tweet.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Dear, Mr <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@narendramodi</a>,<br />
Thanks for the incredibly kind words in your letter to me. Ever since stepping foot in India in 2003, I’ve grown more in love with your country on every visit.<br />
I was recently asked, ‘what do you most like about India’ &amp; my answer was easy - THE PEOPLE 1/2 <a href="https://t.co/fHvMMWi4Mi">pic.twitter.com/fHvMMWi4Mi</a></p>
— Kevin Pietersen (@KP24) <a href="https://twitter.com/KP24/status/1486902394059378691?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 28, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>Pietersen, who was one of the first England players to go against the English cricket board in taking part in the Indian Premier League (IPL), played in India in the IPL from 2009 to 2016. Post-retirement, he has been on several trips to India working as a commentator during the IPL.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/chris-gayle-jonty-rhodes-react-after-receiving-personal-message-from-pm-modi-on-indias-73rd-republic-day-447818">Gayle, Rhodes react after receiving personal message from PM Modi on India's 73rd Republic Day</a></p>

<p>The former England cricketer sent his wishes to Indian fans on Republic Day and expressed his gratitude towards PM Modi for making India one of the world leaders when it comes to wildlife preservation.</p>

<p>"Happy Republic Day to all Indians for a couple days ago. A proud country &amp; a powerhouse globally!&nbsp;I look forward to meeting you in person soon, to thank you for how India is a global leader in protecting its wildlife!&nbsp;My best wishes," wrote Pietersen in another tweet.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Happy Republic Day to all Indians for a couple days ago. A proud country &amp; a powerhouse globally!<br />
I look forward to meeting you in person soon, to thank you for how India is a global leader in protecting its wildlife!<br />
My best wishes!<br />
<a href="https://t.co/oxcwWEgmuX">pic.twitter.com/oxcwWEgmuX</a></p>
— Kevin Pietersen (@KP24) <a href="https://twitter.com/KP24/status/1486902404008361990?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 28, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>Pietersen, who has often expressed his love for India as a country, had also posted tweets in Hindi in the past to win the hearts of his fans. The former England captain played for teams like Delhi Capitals, Royal Challengers Bangalore and the Rising Pune Supergiants during his IPL stint.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote to some of the most loved overseas cricketers in the country on the occasion of India's 73rd Republic Day on January 26.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote to some of the most loved overseas cricketers in the country on the occasion of India's 73rd Republic Day on January 26. India's constitution came to effect on January 26, 1950, and the date is celebrated every year as Republic Day. On Wednesday, India celebrated its 73rd Republic Day in the 75th year of independence making the day a lot more special. Thus, PM Modi decided to personally write to some of the cricketers who have been great ambassadors to the country and have maintained a close connection with the Indian fans. The Indian Prime Minister wrote to the likes of Jonty Rhodes, Chris Gayle and Kevin Pietersen thanking them for their love and affection towards India. After Gayle and Rhodes, Pietersen too took to social media to acknowledge PM Modi's kind words for him and expressed his love for India. The former England captain, who currently stays in South Africa, said he has grown more in love with India on every visit ever since he first stepped into the country in 2003. "Dear, Mr @narendramodi, Thanks for the incredibly kind words in your letter to me. Ever since stepping foot in India in 2003, I’ve grown more in love with your country on every visit. I was recently asked, ‘what do you most like about India’ & my answer was easy - THE PEOPLE," Pietersen wrote in a tweet. Dear, Mr @narendramodi, Thanks for the incredibly kind words in your letter to me. Ever since stepping foot in India in 2003, I’ve grown more in love with your country on every visit. I was recently asked, ‘what do you most like about India’ & my answer was easy - THE PEOPLE 1/2 pic.twitter.com/fHvMMWi4Mi — Kevin Pietersen (@KP24) January 28, 2022 × Pietersen, who was one of the first England players to go against the English cricket board in taking part in the Indian Premier League (IPL), played in India in the IPL from 2009 to 2016. Post-retirement, he has been on several trips to India working as a commentator during the IPL. Also Read: Gayle, Rhodes react after receiving personal message from PM Modi on India's 73rd Republic Day The former England cricketer sent his wishes to Indian fans on Republic Day and expressed his gratitude towards PM Modi for making India one of the world leaders when it comes to wildlife preservation. "Happy Republic Day to all Indians for a couple days ago. A proud country & a powerhouse globally! I look forward to meeting you in person soon, to thank you for how India is a global leader in protecting its wildlife! My best wishes," wrote Pietersen in another tweet. Happy Republic Day to all Indians for a couple days ago. A proud country & a powerhouse globally! I look forward to meeting you in person soon, to thank you for how India is a global leader in protecting its wildlife! My best wishes! pic.twitter.com/oxcwWEgmuX — Kevin Pietersen (@KP24) January 28, 2022 × Pietersen, who has often expressed his love for India as a country, had also posted tweets in Hindi in the past to win the hearts of his fans. The former England captain played for teams like Delhi Capitals, Royal Challengers Bangalore and the Rising Pune Supergiants during his IPL stint.

'I've grown more in love with India': Kevin Pietersen responds after PM Modi writes to him on Republic Day

<p>Virat Kohli decided to step down as India's Test captain last week sending shockwaves across the cricket fraternity. Kohli announced his decision on social media post India's 2-1 defeat in the recently-concluded three-match Test series against South Africa. Kohli was on his way to becoming one of the greatest Test captains of all time and was expected to continue leading the Indian team in the longest format.</p>

<p>However, Kohli decided to bring an end to his seven-year tenure as the captain of the Indian team in the longest format. Ever since his unexpected move, several former cricketers and experts have tried to decode the reason behind his decision and give their opinion on the matter.</p>

<p>Recently, former England captain Kevin Pietersen reacted to Kohli's shocking decision of quitting India's Test captaincy and explained why playing in bio-bubbles in the current times of COVID-19 could have been one of the biggest reasons behind Kohli's decision.</p>

<p>Pietersen said it is not easy for athletes&nbsp;around the world to play in bio-bubbles as it takes a severe toll on physical and mental health.&nbsp;"People who are critical of the modern-day sportsmen I think are foolish because these bio-bubbles are very hard to play in," Pietersen told PTI.</p>

<p>"It will be very unfair to be too harsh, to be critical. Because you have not looked at Virat Kohli. Kohli needs crowds, he gets going (from it), he is an entertainer," he added.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/india-are-lucky-they-have-many-options-kevin-pietersen-names-who-should-take-over-as-test-captain-446401">India are lucky they have many options: Kevin Pietersen names who should take over as Test captain</a></p>

<p>The former England captain further stated that he is not surprised by Kohli's decision of quitting the leadership role explaining that the 33-year-old might have felt the urge to step down from the top post to take some pressure off his back and focus on his batting.</p>

<p>"I'm actually not surprised that Virat wants just a little bit of a break from that extra pressure because it's damn difficult playing in these bubbles," Pietersen said.</p>

<p>"It's very difficult to judge all International sportsmen, be it premier league footballers or any sportsman around the world, playing in a pandemic. As a batter, I feed on the energy of players, and there are a lot of these players, be it in football, rugby or tennis," he added.</p>

<p>Kohli will not be leading India in any format going forward having left the T20I captaincy last year before being replaced as the ODI captain of the side by Rohit Sharma. He will continue to be a vital cog for the team across all three formats as a batter.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


Virat Kohli decided to step down as India's Test captain last week sending shockwaves across the cricket fraternity. Kohli announced his decision on social media post India's 2-1 defeat in the recently-concluded three-match Test series against South Africa.

Virat Kohli decided to step down as India's Test captain last week sending shockwaves across the cricket fraternity. Kohli announced his decision on social media post India's 2-1 defeat in the recently-concluded three-match Test series against South Africa. Kohli was on his way to becoming one of the greatest Test captains of all time and was expected to continue leading the Indian team in the longest format. However, Kohli decided to bring an end to his seven-year tenure as the captain of the Indian team in the longest format. Ever since his unexpected move, several former cricketers and experts have tried to decode the reason behind his decision and give their opinion on the matter. Recently, former England captain Kevin Pietersen reacted to Kohli's shocking decision of quitting India's Test captaincy and explained why playing in bio-bubbles in the current times of COVID-19 could have been one of the biggest reasons behind Kohli's decision. Pietersen said it is not easy for athletes around the world to play in bio-bubbles as it takes a severe toll on physical and mental health. "People who are critical of the modern-day sportsmen I think are foolish because these bio-bubbles are very hard to play in," Pietersen told PTI. "It will be very unfair to be too harsh, to be critical. Because you have not looked at Virat Kohli. Kohli needs crowds, he gets going (from it), he is an entertainer," he added. Also Read: India are lucky they have many options: Kevin Pietersen names who should take over as Test captain The former England captain further stated that he is not surprised by Kohli's decision of quitting the leadership role explaining that the 33-year-old might have felt the urge to step down from the top post to take some pressure off his back and focus on his batting. "I'm actually not surprised that Virat wants just a little bit of a break from that extra pressure because it's damn difficult playing in these bubbles," Pietersen said. "It's very difficult to judge all International sportsmen, be it premier league footballers or any sportsman around the world, playing in a pandemic. As a batter, I feed on the energy of players, and there are a lot of these players, be it in football, rugby or tennis," he added. Kohli will not be leading India in any format going forward having left the T20I captaincy last year before being replaced as the ODI captain of the side by Rohit Sharma. He will continue to be a vital cog for the team across all three formats as a batter.

'I am not surprised': Kevin Pietersen reacts to Virat Kohli's shocking decision to quit Test captaincy

<p>Former England captain Kevin Pietersen has named India's next Test captain after Virat Kohli stepped down as the captain of the red-ball format on January 15. The 33-year-old Kohli surprised one and all with his decision, only a day after India lost the three-match Test series versus South Africa, in the rainbow nation.</p>

<p>Kohli shared the news with one and all and tweeted saying, "Everything has to come to a halt at some stage and for me as Test captain of India, it’s now. It’s been 7 years of hard work, toil and relentless perseverance every day to take the team in the right direction. I’ve done the job with absolute honesty and left nothing out there. Everything has to come to a halt at some stage and for me as Test Captain of India, it’s now."</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/bcci-president-ganguly-wanted-to-issue-showcause-notice-to-kohli-following-his-explosive-presser-report-446249"><strong>BCCI President Ganguly wanted to issue showcause notice to Kohli following his explosive presser - Report</strong></a></p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="und">🇮🇳 <a href="https://t.co/huBL6zZ7fZ">pic.twitter.com/huBL6zZ7fZ</a></p>
— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) <a href="https://twitter.com/imVkohli/status/1482340422987169794?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 15, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>Since then, many former cricketers and experts of the game have shared their suggestions regarding who can take over from Kohli in whites. Ex-England cricketer Pietersen also opened up in this regard and feels India have plenty of options to choose from.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rahul-kohli-were-sitting-apart-former-pak-spinner-makes-glaring-remark-after-indias-1st-odi-loss-446377"><strong>Rahul, Kohli were sitting apart: Former PAK spinner makes glaring remark after India's 1st ODI loss</strong></a></p>

<p>“You (India) are so lucky that you have so many options for the captain. I will probably stick with Rohit Sharma. He is a great leader, I love the authority he commands. He makes fabulous decisions and we’ve seen them with Mumbai Indians, he has won so many titles with them. More importantly, I am really looking forward to how Rahul Dravid is with that team – can he do it with the youngsters, can he do it with the big guys,” Pietersen was quoted as saying by&nbsp;<em>India Today</em>.</p>

<p>The national selectors have a tough decision&nbsp;to make in order to choose India's next captain in the purest format. Under Kohli, India dominated at home, played the inaugural WTC final, won a Test series in Australia and have an unassailable 2-1 lead over England in the incomplete five Tests in the United Kingdom, held in mid-2021.</p>

<p>The contenders for the top job are Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pan and&nbsp;Jasprit Bumrah.</p>


Former England captain Kevin Pietersen has named India's next Test captain after Virat Kohli stepped down as the captain of the red-ball format on January 15. The 33-year-old Kohli surprised one and all with his decision, only a day after India lost the three-match Test series versus South Africa, in the rainbow nation.

Former England captain Kevin Pietersen has named India's next Test captain after Virat Kohli stepped down as the captain of the red-ball format on January 15. The 33-year-old Kohli surprised one and all with his decision, only a day after India lost the three-match Test series versus South Africa, in the rainbow nation. Kohli shared the news with one and all and tweeted saying, "Everything has to come to a halt at some stage and for me as Test captain of India, it’s now. It’s been 7 years of hard work, toil and relentless perseverance every day to take the team in the right direction. I’ve done the job with absolute honesty and left nothing out there. Everything has to come to a halt at some stage and for me as Test Captain of India, it’s now." ALSO READ | BCCI President Ganguly wanted to issue showcause notice to Kohli following his explosive presser - Report 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/huBL6zZ7fZ — Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) January 15, 2022 × Since then, many former cricketers and experts of the game have shared their suggestions regarding who can take over from Kohli in whites. Ex-England cricketer Pietersen also opened up in this regard and feels India have plenty of options to choose from. ALSO READ | Rahul, Kohli were sitting apart: Former PAK spinner makes glaring remark after India's 1st ODI loss “You (India) are so lucky that you have so many options for the captain. I will probably stick with Rohit Sharma. He is a great leader, I love the authority he commands. He makes fabulous decisions and we’ve seen them with Mumbai Indians, he has won so many titles with them. More importantly, I am really looking forward to how Rahul Dravid is with that team – can he do it with the youngsters, can he do it with the big guys,” Pietersen was quoted as saying by India Today. The national selectors have a tough decision to make in order to choose India's next captain in the purest format. Under Kohli, India dominated at home, played the inaugural WTC final, won a Test series in Australia and have an unassailable 2-1 lead over England in the incomplete five Tests in the United Kingdom, held in mid-2021. The contenders for the top job are Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pan and Jasprit Bumrah.

India are lucky they have many options: Kevin Pietersen names who should take over as Test captain

<p>The IPL 2022 mega auction is less than a month away. During the recently-held IPL General Council Meeting, the BCCI finalised the auction date, i.e. February 12 and 13, as the showpiece event took place in Bengaluru. All eyes will be on the non-retained players, which comprises several marquee players such as KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, David Warner, Suresh Raina, Shikhar Dhawan, Ishan Kishan, Kagiso Rabada, Rashid Khan and the likes. Six of them will be picked by the two new IPL franchises -- Lucknow and Ahmedabad -- who have the luxury to choose three players each before the auction proceedings.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The IPL auction has always hogged the limelight, since 2008, as franchises shed a huge chunk of money on players from various countries or of different age bracket. Over the years, many rising talents or established names have earned big during the IPL auctions. Before the IPL 2022 auction kicks off in Bengaluru, here's a look at the most expensive players in each auction:&nbsp;</p>

<p>The list includes some marquee players such as MS Dhoni, Yuvraj Singh, Gautam Gambhir, Ben Stokes, Pat Cummins, Dinesh Karthik, Glenn Maxwell, Chris Morris and some underrated names -- Jaydev Unadkat, Varun Chakravarthy.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ben-stokes-pat-cummins-and-other-top-england-australia-players-in-doubt-over-entering-ipl-mega-auction-445477"><strong>Ben Stokes, Pat Cummins and other top England, Australia players in doubt over entering IPL mega auction</strong></a></p>

<table border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" style="width: 500px;">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td><strong>&nbsp; Year</strong></td>
			<td><strong>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Players &amp; Teams</strong></td>
			<td><strong>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Price&nbsp;</strong></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>2008</td>
			<td>MS Dhoni (CSK)</td>
			<td>INR 9.5 crore (95 million)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>2009</td>
			<td>Kevin Pietersen (RCB), Andrew Flintoff (CSK)</td>
			<td>INR 9.8 crore (98 million)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>2010</td>
			<td>Shane Bond (KKR), Kieron Pollard (MI)</td>
			<td>INR 4.2 crore (42 million)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>2011</td>
			<td>Gautam Gambhir (KKR)</td>
			<td>INR 14.9 crore (149 million)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>2012</td>
			<td>Ravindra Jadeja (CSK)</td>
			<td>INR 12.8 crore (128 million)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>2013</td>
			<td>Glenn Maxwell (MI)</td>
			<td>INR 6.3 crore (63 million)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>2014</td>
			<td>Yuvraj Singh (RCB)</td>
			<td>INR 12.5 crore (125 million)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>2015</td>
			<td>Yuvraj Singh (DC)</td>
			<td>INR 16 crore (160 million)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>2016</td>
			<td>Shane Watson (RCB)</td>
			<td>INR 9.5 crore (95 million)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>2017</td>
			<td>Ben Stokes (RPS)</td>
			<td>INR 14.5 crore (145 million)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>2018</td>
			<td>Ben Stokes (RR)</td>
			<td>INR 12.5 crore (125 million)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>2019</td>
			<td>Jaydev Unadkat (RR), Varun Chakravarthy (KKR)</td>
			<td>INR 8.4 crore (84 million)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>2020</td>
			<td>Pat Cummins (KKR)</td>
			<td>INR 15.5 crore (155 million)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>2021</td>
			<td>Chris Morris (RR)</td>
			<td>INR 16.25 crore (162.5 million)</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/ipl-2022-which-side-be-the-richest-revealing-purse-of-8-existing-teams-before-mega-auction-433317#punjab-kings---inr-720-million-433214">IPL 2022: Which side be the richest? Revealing purse of 8 existing teams before mega auction</a></strong></p>

<p>Talking about the IPL 2022 edition, the BCCI will once again be under the scanner for hosting the 15th edition smoothly, with the Covid-19 pandemic still not over. As of now, no final decision has been taken regarding the venues for the upcoming season. The Sourav Ganguly-led board will finalise the venues and share the full schedule after monitoring the Covid-19 situation nationwide. If hosting the cash-rich league in India becomes out of the picture, BCCI will look to take the IPL in Sri Lanka, South Africa or the UAE (as per reports).</p>


The IPL 2022 mega auction is less than a month away. During the recently-held IPL General Council Meeting, the BCCI finalised the auction date, i.e. February 12 and 13, as the showpiece event took place in Bengaluru.

The IPL 2022 mega auction is less than a month away. During the recently-held IPL General Council Meeting, the BCCI finalised the auction date, i.e. February 12 and 13, as the showpiece event took place in Bengaluru. All eyes will be on the non-retained players, which comprises several marquee players such as KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, David Warner, Suresh Raina, Shikhar Dhawan, Ishan Kishan, Kagiso Rabada, Rashid Khan and the likes. Six of them will be picked by the two new IPL franchises -- Lucknow and Ahmedabad -- who have the luxury to choose three players each before the auction proceedings. The IPL auction has always hogged the limelight, since 2008, as franchises shed a huge chunk of money on players from various countries or of different age bracket. Over the years, many rising talents or established names have earned big during the IPL auctions. Before the IPL 2022 auction kicks off in Bengaluru, here's a look at the most expensive players in each auction: The list includes some marquee players such as MS Dhoni, Yuvraj Singh, Gautam Gambhir, Ben Stokes, Pat Cummins, Dinesh Karthik, Glenn Maxwell, Chris Morris and some underrated names -- Jaydev Unadkat, Varun Chakravarthy. ALSO READ | Ben Stokes, Pat Cummins and other top England, Australia players in doubt over entering IPL mega auction Year Players & Teams Price 2008 MS Dhoni (CSK) INR 9.5 crore (95 million) 2009 Kevin Pietersen (RCB), Andrew Flintoff (CSK) INR 9.8 crore (98 million) 2010 Shane Bond (KKR), Kieron Pollard (MI) INR 4.2 crore (42 million) 2011 Gautam Gambhir (KKR) INR 14.9 crore (149 million) 2012 Ravindra Jadeja (CSK) INR 12.8 crore (128 million) 2013 Glenn Maxwell (MI) INR 6.3 crore (63 million) 2014 Yuvraj Singh (RCB) INR 12.5 crore (125 million) 2015 Yuvraj Singh (DC) INR 16 crore (160 million) 2016 Shane Watson (RCB) INR 9.5 crore (95 million) 2017 Ben Stokes (RPS) INR 14.5 crore (145 million) 2018 Ben Stokes (RR) INR 12.5 crore (125 million) 2019 Jaydev Unadkat (RR), Varun Chakravarthy (KKR) INR 8.4 crore (84 million) 2020 Pat Cummins (KKR) INR 15.5 crore (155 million) 2021 Chris Morris (RR) INR 16.25 crore (162.5 million) ALSO READ | IPL 2022: Which side be the richest? Revealing purse of 8 existing teams before mega auction Talking about the IPL 2022 edition, the BCCI will once again be under the scanner for hosting the 15th edition smoothly, with the Covid-19 pandemic still not over. As of now, no final decision has been taken regarding the venues for the upcoming season. The Sourav Ganguly-led board will finalise the venues and share the full schedule after monitoring the Covid-19 situation nationwide. If hosting the cash-rich league in India becomes out of the picture, BCCI will look to take the IPL in Sri Lanka, South Africa or the UAE (as per reports).

From MS Dhoni, Yuvraj Singh, Ben Stokes to Chris Morris: Most expensive players in IPL auction

<p>Former England captain Kevin Pietersen has lavished huge praise on Narendra Modi and India's spirits as the country is ready to extend their support to African countries reeling under the new Covid variant named Omicron.&nbsp;</p>

<p>As the world was trying to move on from the COVID-19 pandemic and its severe effects, another new variant has been found, named Omicron by World Health Organisation (WHO).&nbsp;</p>

<p>Hence, there is panic worldwide as many countries are looking to impose strict travel restrictions. Amid all this, the first Covid case erupted from the new variant in South Africa as reportedly the African nations are being affected most severely. Hence, India has now geared up to provide help in such a crisis situation.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/omicron-hits-portugal-as-13-members-of-lisbon-football-club-belenenses-sad-test-positive-432762"><strong>Omicron hits Portugal as 13 members of Lisbon football club Belenenses SAD test positive</strong></a></p>

<p>To this, Pietersen lauded India and tweeted, "That caring spirit once again shown by India! The most fabulous country with so many warm hearted people! Thank you! cc Narendra Modi."</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">That caring spirit once again shown by India!<br />
The most fabulous country with so many warm hearted people!<br />
Thank you!<br />
cc <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@narendramodi</a> 🙏🏽 <a href="https://t.co/r05631jNBD">https://t.co/r05631jNBD</a></p>
— Kevin Pietersen🦏 (@KP24) <a href="https://twitter.com/KP24/status/1465353928816664577?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 29, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/shane-warne-left-baffled-points-out-indias-strange-tactic-during-day-5-of-drawn-kanpur-test-432837"><strong>Shane Warne left baffled, points out India's 'strange tactic' during Day 5 of drawn Kanpur Test</strong></a></p>

<p>India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) have already announced their commitment to supply 'made-in India' vaccines to African nations, who are facing the adverse effects due to the newly-found Covid variant. "Government of India stands ready to support the countries affected in Africa in dealing with the Omicron Variant, including by supplies of Made-in-India vaccines. Supplies can be undertaken through COVAX or bilaterally," said the MEA in a statement as quoted by&nbsp;<em>ANI</em>.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The world dealt with a severe second wave of Covid-19 pandemic early this year. Hence, there is scare in all parts of the globe once again with the advent of the new Covid variant. One would hope that its threat gets minimised as soon as possible and&nbsp;countries doesn't have to deal with another strict set of restrictions.&nbsp;</p>


Former England captain Kevin Pietersen has lavished huge praise on Narendra Modi and India's spirits as the country is ready to extend their support to African countries reeling under the new Covid variant named Omicron.

Former England captain Kevin Pietersen has lavished huge praise on Narendra Modi and India's spirits as the country is ready to extend their support to African countries reeling under the new Covid variant named Omicron. As the world was trying to move on from the COVID-19 pandemic and its severe effects, another new variant has been found, named Omicron by World Health Organisation (WHO). Hence, there is panic worldwide as many countries are looking to impose strict travel restrictions. Amid all this, the first Covid case erupted from the new variant in South Africa as reportedly the African nations are being affected most severely. Hence, India has now geared up to provide help in such a crisis situation. ALSO READ | Omicron hits Portugal as 13 members of Lisbon football club Belenenses SAD test positive To this, Pietersen lauded India and tweeted, "That caring spirit once again shown by India! The most fabulous country with so many warm hearted people! Thank you! cc Narendra Modi." That caring spirit once again shown by India! The most fabulous country with so many warm hearted people! Thank you! cc @narendramodi 🙏🏽 https://t.co/r05631jNBD — Kevin Pietersen🦏 (@KP24) November 29, 2021 × ALSO READ | Shane Warne left baffled, points out India's 'strange tactic' during Day 5 of drawn Kanpur Test India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) have already announced their commitment to supply 'made-in India' vaccines to African nations, who are facing the adverse effects due to the newly-found Covid variant. "Government of India stands ready to support the countries affected in Africa in dealing with the Omicron Variant, including by supplies of Made-in-India vaccines. Supplies can be undertaken through COVAX or bilaterally," said the MEA in a statement as quoted by ANI. The world dealt with a severe second wave of Covid-19 pandemic early this year. Hence, there is scare in all parts of the globe once again with the advent of the new Covid variant. One would hope that its threat gets minimised as soon as possible and countries doesn't have to deal with another strict set of restrictions.

Kevin Pietersen lauds PM Modi as India ready to help African nations amid Omicron scare

<p>Global sporting stars, including legendary tennis player Novak Djokovic and Australian cricketer Glenn Maxwell, took to social media to extend their wishes to Indians celebrating Diwali, the festival of lights on Thursday (November 4). Diwali is a five-day festival that marks the victory of good over evil, light over darkness and knowledge over ignorance.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Happy #Diwali to everyone celebrating! Wishing you Peace, Love, and Light!," Djokovic wrote on his official Twitter handle. On the other hand, Maxwell tweeted, "Happy Diwali everyone!! Let’s celebrate the festival in the true sense by spreading joy, happiness and light up the world for others! Have a safe and happy Diwali!!"&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>IN PICS |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/brilliant-captain-to-excellent-mentor-selfless-rahul-dravid-continues-to-serve-indian-cricket-426721">Brilliant captain to excellent mentor: Selfless Rahul Dravid continues to serve Indian cricket</a></strong></p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Happy <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Diwali?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Diwali</a> to everyone celebrating! Wishing you Peace, Love, and Light! 🪔🎇</p>
— Novak Djokovic (@DjokerNole) <a href="https://twitter.com/DjokerNole/status/1456279810913669128?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 4, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Happy Diwali everyone!! Let’s celebrate the festival in the true sense by spreading joy, happiness and light up the world for others! Have a safe and happy Diwali!! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/lightsfestival?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#lightsfestival</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/diwali?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#diwali</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/spreadlove?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#spreadlove</a>❤️ <a href="https://t.co/CzXHireR1V">https://t.co/CzXHireR1V</a></p>
— Glenn Maxwell (@Gmaxi_32) <a href="https://twitter.com/Gmaxi_32/status/1456092901708951553?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 4, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="tl">Happy Diwali 🎉🎉</p>
— Sam Curran (@CurranSM) <a href="https://twitter.com/CurranSM/status/1456183737922752516?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 4, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="row">
<div class="article-blockquote">
<div class="col-sm-10 col-sm-offset-1 blockquote-content quoteshare">
<blockquote>
<h5>&nbsp;</h5>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="tl">Happy Diwali to those celebrating!</p>
— Jason Roy (@JasonRoy20) <a href="https://twitter.com/JasonRoy20/status/1456140360518877184?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 4, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></blockquote>
</div>

<div class="col-sm-1 blockquote-content">
<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=&lt;blockquote class=twitter-tweet&gt;&lt;p lang=tl dir=ltr&gt;Happy Diwali to those celebrating!&lt;/p&gt;— Jason Roy (@JasonRoy20) &lt;a  data-cke-saved-href=https://twitter.com/JasonRoy20/status/1456140360518877184?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw href=https://twitter.com/JasonRoy20/status/1456140360518877184?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&gt;November 4, 2021&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/blockquote&gt; <script async src=https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js charset=utf-8></script>" target="_blank"><i class="fa fa-share">&nbsp;</i></a></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqquoteclosemark">×</a></div>
</div>
</div>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">HAPPY <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Diwali?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Diwali</a><br />
💙</p>
— Kevin Pietersen🦏 (@KP24) <a href="https://twitter.com/KP24/status/1456182843256737795?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 4, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">A very happy Diwali to everyone celebrating across the world! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Diwali2021?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Diwali2021</a> 🪔</p>
— Cricket Australia (@CricketAus) <a href="https://twitter.com/CricketAus/status/1456033752711372807?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 3, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Happy Diwali to everyone around the World stay blessed spread love ❤️🤗</p>
— Rashid Khan (@rashidkhan_19) <a href="https://twitter.com/rashidkhan_19/status/1456297916306321414?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 4, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Happy Diwali to everyone around the world celebrating today. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FestivalOfLights?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FestivalOfLights</a> <a href="https://t.co/4cZLY2aPMq">pic.twitter.com/4cZLY2aPMq</a></p>
— David Miller (@DavidMillerSA12) <a href="https://twitter.com/DavidMillerSA12/status/1456128208839987202?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 4, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="tl">Happy Diwali to all!! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/lights?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#lights</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/colour?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#colour</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/happiness?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#happiness</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/joy?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#joy</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/laughter?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#laughter</a> <a href="https://t.co/reqOkrquic">https://t.co/reqOkrquic</a></p>
— David Warner (@davidwarner31) <a href="https://twitter.com/davidwarner31/status/1456130176794783751?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 4, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p><strong>IN PICS | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/in-pics-diwali-celebrations-across-the-globe-426674">Diwali celebrations across the globe</a></strong></p>

<p>Meanwhile, India's northern state Uttar Pradesh's Department of Tourism and Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Avadh University jointly entered in Guinness World Records for "largest display of oil lamps" during Deepotsava at Ram ki Paidi ghats in Ayodhya.</p>

<p>"Today we have lit up 9 lakh earthen lamps. I want to extend my greetings to everyone on this Deepotsav program," UP's Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said at an event of Deepotsava celebrations in Ayodhya.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Colourful lights and laser show organised in Ayodhya as part of the Deepotsav celebration on the occasion of Diwali.</p>

<p>The 'Deepotsav' celebrations in Ayodhya last year had set the Guinness World records for 'the largest display of oil lamps' after 5,84,572 earthen lamps were lit on the banks of river Saryu. &nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Global sporting stars, including legendary tennis player Novak Djokovic and Australian cricketer Glenn Maxwell, took to social media to extend their wishes to Indians celebrating Diwali, the festival of lights on Thursday (November 4).

Global sporting stars, including legendary tennis player Novak Djokovic and Australian cricketer Glenn Maxwell, took to social media to extend their wishes to Indians celebrating Diwali, the festival of lights on Thursday (November 4). Diwali is a five-day festival that marks the victory of good over evil, light over darkness and knowledge over ignorance. "Happy #Diwali to everyone celebrating! Wishing you Peace, Love, and Light!," Djokovic wrote on his official Twitter handle. On the other hand, Maxwell tweeted, "Happy Diwali everyone!! Let’s celebrate the festival in the true sense by spreading joy, happiness and light up the world for others! Have a safe and happy Diwali!!" IN PICS | Brilliant captain to excellent mentor: Selfless Rahul Dravid continues to serve Indian cricket Happy #Diwali to everyone celebrating! Wishing you Peace, Love, and Light! 🪔🎇 — Novak Djokovic (@DjokerNole) November 4, 2021 × Happy Diwali everyone!! Let’s celebrate the festival in the true sense by spreading joy, happiness and light up the world for others! Have a safe and happy Diwali!! #lightsfestival #diwali #spreadlove❤️ https://t.co/CzXHireR1V — Glenn Maxwell (@Gmaxi_32) November 4, 2021 × Happy Diwali 🎉🎉 — Sam Curran (@CurranSM) November 4, 2021 × Happy Diwali to those celebrating! — Jason Roy (@JasonRoy20) November 4, 2021 × HAPPY #Diwali 💙 — Kevin Pietersen🦏 (@KP24) November 4, 2021 × A very happy Diwali to everyone celebrating across the world! #Diwali2021 🪔 — Cricket Australia (@CricketAus) November 3, 2021 × Happy Diwali to everyone around the World stay blessed spread love ❤️🤗 — Rashid Khan (@rashidkhan_19) November 4, 2021 × Happy Diwali to everyone around the world celebrating today. #FestivalOfLights pic.twitter.com/4cZLY2aPMq — David Miller (@DavidMillerSA12) November 4, 2021 × Happy Diwali to all!! #lights #colour #happiness #joy #laughter https://t.co/reqOkrquic — David Warner (@davidwarner31) November 4, 2021 × IN PICS | Diwali celebrations across the globe Meanwhile, India's northern state Uttar Pradesh's Department of Tourism and Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Avadh University jointly entered in Guinness World Records for "largest display of oil lamps" during Deepotsava at Ram ki Paidi ghats in Ayodhya. "Today we have lit up 9 lakh earthen lamps. I want to extend my greetings to everyone on this Deepotsav program," UP's Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said at an event of Deepotsava celebrations in Ayodhya. Colourful lights and laser show organised in Ayodhya as part of the Deepotsav celebration on the occasion of Diwali. The 'Deepotsav' celebrations in Ayodhya last year had set the Guinness World records for 'the largest display of oil lamps' after 5,84,572 earthen lamps were lit on the banks of river Saryu. (With inputs from agencies)

From Novak Djokovic to Glenn Maxwell: Global stars wish India a safe and happy Diwali

kevin-pietersen

Kevin Pietersen, News on Kevin Pietersen, stories on Kevin Pietersen, articles on Kevin Pietersen, Kevin Pietersen stories at Wion, Kevin Pietersen news, Kevin Pietersen latest news

kevin pietersen