Legends League | Difficult to play in these bubbles: Kevin Pietersen

Pietersen says he’s not surprised Kohli quit captaincy

Virat Kohli’s decision to quit the Test captaincy may have come as a surprise to many, but not to Kevin Pietersen (KP).

“I am not surprised Virat decided to take that extra pressure off, it is difficult to play in these bubbles,” Pietersen, who is here to play for World Giants in the Legends League Cricket, said on Thursday. “I have got close friends in golf, football and other sports and they are some of the best players in the world. They say it is very difficult to play under the conditions of the last couple of years.”

Pietersen said it wasn’t right to judge a sportsperson’s performance during the pandemic. “It is very unfair, too harsh and too critical,” he said. “Kohli needs crowds for his juice to get going. He is an entertainer. People who are critical of modern sportsmen (under these circumstances) are foolish. These bubbles are very hard to play in and I have been in a couple of them for the broadcast. It is incredibly difficult.”