"RESPECT IT!" - Kevin Pietersen to fans after Virat Kohli opts out of first 2 Tests against England due to personal reasons

Former England captain Kevin Pietersen urged fans to respect Virat Kohli's decision to opt out of the first two Tests of India's upcoming five-match home series against England.

Pietersen opined that supporters should not target players who are unavailable due to personal reasons. Taking to the microblogging platform X (formerly Twitter) on Monday, January 22, he wrote:

"If a sportsman pulls out for personal reasons, RESPECT IT! End of!"

Kevin Pietersen also earlier shared a message for England's middle-order batter Harry Brook after he opted out of the five-match Test series against India, citing personal reasons.

He wrote:

"Crickey, I hope alls ok with Harry Brook and his family, first and foremost! Secondly, that’s a major blow to England’s chances, because under Baz, Harry is an absolute STAR!"

The Test series opener between India and England will be played at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad from January 25 to 29.

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"Has spoken to Captain Rohit Sharma, the team management and the selectors" - BCCI on Virat Kohli's unavailability

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) released a statement on Monday, January 22, confirming Virat Kohli's unavailability for the first two Tests of the series against England.

The statement read:

"Mr. Virat Kohli has requested the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to be withdrawn from the first two Tests of the upcoming IDFC First Bank Test series against England, citing personal reasons. Virat has spoken to Captain Rohit Sharma, the team management and the selectors and has emphasized that while representing the country has always been his top priority, certain personal situations demand his presence and undivided attention.

"The BCCI respects his decision and the Board and team management has extended its support to the star batter and is confident in the abilities of the remaining squad members to step up and deliver commendable performances in the Test series. The BCCI requests the media and fans to respect Virat Kohli's privacy during this time and refrain from speculating on the nature of his personal reasons. The focus should remain on supporting the Indian cricket team as they embark on the upcoming challenges in the Test series."

It is worth mentioning that Kohli had also opted out of the first T20I of India's recently concluded three-match home series against Afghanistan due to personal reasons.