![Pinterest](https://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https://www.foottheball.com/news/pep-guardiola-virat-kohli-jersey-swap-exchange-rcb-ipl-manchester-city-social-media/&media=https://www.foottheball.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Virat-kohli-pep-guardiola-banner-and-bloglist-feature.jpg&description="It's time to finally learn cricket's rules," read Pep Guardiola's post thanking Indian Cricket Team Captain Virat Kohli for sending a RCB jersey){kind=link}
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola is known to be a man of many interests, despite being obsessed with football. He spent his one year sabbatical in 2013 exploring the art scene in Manhattan and it seems like he has found his latest interest.
The Catalan posted a video on Instagram yesterday, thanking Indian Cricket team captain Virat Kohli for gifting him a Royal Challengers Bangalore jersey. The post was captioned “It’s time to finally learn cricket’s rules” and what better time for Guardiola to start following the sport than in the middle of the IPL season. The City boss also told Kohli to use his Manchester City shirt now.
It's time to finally learn cricket's rules 🏏Thanks to my friend @imVkohli for the shirt. Now is your turn to use your @ManCity shirt😉@pumaindia @pumafootball #PUMAxRCB pic.twitter.com/aEsnnCicgU
— PepTeam (@PepTeam) April 23, 2021
LONG DISTANCE FRIENDS
This is not the first time that the duo have interacted with each other on social media. Last year, Guardiola and Kohli came together for an Instagram Live session where they discussed the pandemic and their respective sports among other things. The compulsive winner mentality is something that binds the two together which they talked about in the session. Moreover, Kohli takes more than a passing interest in football. He is also part-owner of Indian Super League club FC Goa, which is currently playing in the AFC Champions League.
Guardiola and Kohli are also not the only pair to transcend country and sporting lines. In June last year, Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford had a chat with former Indian cricketer Yuvraj Singh on Sony Ten’s Pit Stop show. Indian cricket stars have been ardent football supporters for years and this pandemic has connected them to their football counterparts.
PUMA PARTNERSHIP
Fans of both football and cricket have Puma to thank for this crossover of sporting stars. Virat Kohli is amongst Puma’s biggest athletes while the sporting goods company also has a worldwide association with the City Football Group. The City Football Group owns clubs in not just different countries, but also continents, including Premier League leaders and Guardiola’s employers Manchester City.
The live session last year was also organised by Puma and it is likely that this exchange of jersey is also their doing. It is always nice for fans to see their idols interact. It would be fascinating to see the outcome if Pep does pick up cricket and decides to manage a team. Odds for Spain to become Cricket World Cup 2027 Champions anyone?