Former England captain, Kevin Pietersen has come out in support of Virat Kohli following the latter's decision to withdraw from the first two Tests of the five-match series against England starting on January 25 at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Hyderabad.
Pietersen took to the social media platform 'X', formerly Twitter, to voice his support for Virat and urged people to 'respect' the decision.
"If a sportsman pulls out for personal reasons, RESPECT IT! End of!" Pietersen wrote on X.
For the unversed, Virat requested the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to be withdrawn from the first two Test matches against England citing personal reasons and the board approved it.
"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," a BCCI media advisory read.
The apex cricketing body in the country also urged the fans "to respect Virat Kohli's privacy during this time and refrain from speculating on the nature of his personal reasons" and to support the " Indian cricket team as they embark on the upcoming challenges in the Test series".
The All India Men's Senior Selection Committee will name Virat's replacement soon.
India vs England Test series schedule:
| Date | Match | Time | Venue |
| January 25-29 | 1st Test | 9:30 AM | Hyderabad |
| February 2-6 | 2nd Test | 9:30 AM | Visakhapatnam |
| February 15-19 | 3rd Test | 9:30 AM | Rajkot |
| February 23-27 | 4th Test | 9:30 AM | Ranchi |
| March 7-11 | 5th Test | 9:30 AM | Dharamsala |
