Former England cricketer Kevin Pietersen has defended India’s veteran duo, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, amid their recent struggles.

Rohit had a tough outing in the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, managing just 31 runs across five innings, while Kohli scored 190 runs in nine innings at an average of 23.75 as India lost the series 3-1. Both also faced challenges in the 2024-25 Ranji Trophy, with Rohit scoring 31 runs for Mumbai against J&K and Kohli making just six runs for Delhi against Railways.

Despite their poor form, Pietersen urged for more respect, acknowledging that all cricketers go through difficult patches. Speaking at the launch of Dram Bell Scotch Whisky, he emphasized that such phases should not overshadow their long-term contributions to the game (as quoted by PTI).

“It’s unfair to suggest that players who have scored as many runs as they have should retire,” Pietersen remarked. “Yes, it’s a topic of discussion, and I understand that, but they deserve far more respect than that.”

He went on to defend the likes of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, emphasizing, “I’ve faced the same challenges in my own career. Everyone has tough times. Rohit and Virat aren’t machines who score hundreds every time. Just because they had a difficult tour of Australia, does that make them bad people or cricketers? Absolutely not.”

Pietersen continued, stressing the human aspect of the game: “You have to understand, these are human beings. While people may criticize them now, when their careers are over, they will be remembered for how they made fans feel. They brought joy to the crowd. It’s not just about stats, wins, or losses.”

He added, “When my career ended, people didn’t just talk about numbers; they talked about the emotions I evoked when I played. Both Virat and Rohit have that power to make people feel incredible. As they reach the age of 36, 37, or 38, they should be celebrated for their contribution, not criticized. Players like them deserve that recognition.”

In the upcoming series against England, Virat Kohli (13,906 runs) will have the opportunity to become the fastest player to reach 14,000 ODI runs. On the other hand, Rohit Sharma (10,866 runs) is set to become the fourth Indian cricketer to surpass 11,000 runs in ODIs.