(Credit IPL)
The recent buzz in cricket circles has centered around former England cricketer Kevin Pietersen and ex-Indian batsman Ambati Rayudu, garnering attention shortly after the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) clinched victory in the IPL 2024 final against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in Chennai on May 26.
It has become apparent that Rayudu holds a disdain towards both the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) franchise and its star player Virat Kohli, a sentiment he has not shied away from expressing, notably during commentary sessions. Tensions flared during the IPL 2024 Final between KKR and SRH, as Pietersen found himself at odds with Rayudu over what he deemed as unfair criticism directed towards Kohli.
During a live TV broadcast, Pietersen publicly confronted Rayudu for suggesting that Kohli should lower his standards to accommodate other players. Following the conclusion of the final match, Pietersen referred to the former Indian batter as a “joker” for swiftly changing his allegiance once KKR secured their third IPL trophy.
Kevin Pietersen has appealed to fans to refrain from directing abusive language towards Ambati Rayudu.
Following Pietersen’s remarks, fans of Virat Kohli expressed strong disapproval towards Ambati Rayudu, criticizing him for what they perceived as unjustly targeting the Indian cricket icon. Pietersen took notice of this online backlash and implored fans to cease their abusive behavior towards the former Chennai Super Kings (CSK) player on social media platforms.
He posted on X: “Come on guys! This tribalism with/against Indian players on social media needs to slow down! Example – @RayuduAmbati and I were messing around after the IPL final and all of sudden that banter has turned into an avalanche of abuse towards Ambati. PLEASE stop it? 🙏🏽”
