'Virat Kohli should leave RCB & go to Delhi Capitals. DC are as desperate': Kevin Pietersen tells VK

In an exhilarating match, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) posted a competitive total of 172/8 in their 20 overs. However, Rajasthan Royals (RR) chased down the target with 6 balls to spare, finishing at 174/6. Ravichandran Ashwin from RR was awarded the Player of the Match for his outstanding bowling performance, securing 2 wickets for 19 runs in 4 overs. The match, held at the Narendra Modi Stadium, witnessed some brilliant individual performances, making it an intense and entertaining playoff encounter as RCB is knocked out of the IPL 2024, continuing their unachieved dream of lifting the IPL trophy.

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Kevin Pietersen believes Virat Kohli should leave RCB after another season without a trophy 

With 741 runs in 15 games, Virat Kohli topped the 2024 Indian Premier League in run scoring. In the Eliminator match that took place in Ahmedabad on Wednesday, Rajasthan Royals defeated RCB despite his outstanding effort. With this defeat, RCB's title drought now stands at 17 years.

Regarding Kohli's situation, former England captain Kevin Pietersen said that he should have won an IPL championship and might have to leave RCB in order to do so. Pietersen voiced his dissatisfaction that Kohli did not win the title at the end of the season despite his outstanding run-scoring performances.

Pietersen compared him to football players who have left their established teams in search of bigger opportunities, such as Harry Kane and Cristiano Ronaldo. In the event that Kohli decides to leave the RCB in the future, he would think about relocating to Delhi, he said. Kevin Pietersen said on Star Sports: 

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

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

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

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After finishing the 2024 Indian Premier League with 741 runs in 15 matches—including a century and five half-centuries—Virat Kohli became the league's leading scorer. He displayed a whole new strategy on the powerplay and was instrumental in RCB's incredible league comeback this season, making it one of his finest.

Despite being in the top four of the league, RCB failed to remain composed during the playoffs and missed the final for the fourth time in the previous five seasons. When RCB previously made it to the title game, it was in 2016—the year when Kohli broke all previous records with 973 runs—but they lost to SunRisers Hyderabad in the end.

Amid rumours over his future with  RCB, Kohli has repeatedly said that he wants to end his career with the team. He has frequently expressed his devotion to the squad and gratitude to RCB.