Virat Kohli made a heartwarming gesture by gifting a signed India jersey to former England captain Kevin Pietersen’s son, Dylan. Pietersen shared a photo on Instagram of his son proudly wearing the jersey and expressed his thanks to Kohli, humorously noting how perfectly the jersey fit Dylan.
Pietersen was in India as part of the commentary panel for the ODI series between England and India, which ended in a dominant 3-0 sweep by Rohit Sharma‘s side. During the first match in Nagpur on February 6, Pietersen and Kohli were seen laughing and chatting animatedly after the game. Although Kohli missed the opening ODI due to a knee injury, his absence gave Shreyas Iyer the opportunity to cement his spot in the XI with solid performances. Kohli made his return for the second ODI in Cuttack, replacing Yashasvi Jaiswal, who had a difficult debut.
“Just got back home and gave @dylanpietersenphotography a gift from @virat.kohli – it fits perfectly
Kohli’s return to the series wasn’t ideal, as he was dismissed for just five runs in Cuttack. However, he regained his form in the third ODI in Ahmedabad, scoring a composed half-century before falling to England spinner Adil Rashid. This marked a positive sign for India as they head into the ICC Champions Trophy.
While Pietersen made headlines for his commentary, he also drew attention for criticizing England’s preparation for the series. He accused the players of prioritizing golf over practice sessions, casting doubts on their commitment. His remarks sparked a reaction from England’s captain Jos Buttler and head coach Brendon McCullum, who denied the claims and assured that the team had adequately prepared.
As the Champions Trophy approaches on February 19, India enters with strong momentum from their series win, while England will need to address their preparation issues to compete effectively.
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