Kevin Pietersen hails Indian-origin CEO as the ‘GOAT’. Internet calls it the crossover no one expected

In an unexpected intersection of sports and technology, Indian-American business executive Nikesh Arora has found himself at the centre of social media buzz after a witty exchange on X (formerly Twitter) with a user who attempted to mock him. The incident has not only drawn attention to Arora’s impressive achievements as CEO of Palo Alto Networks but also caught the eye of former England cricket star Kevin Pietersen, who has dubbed him the “GOAT” (Greatest of All Time).

(Also read: Kevin Pietersen stunned by Bengaluru airport’s T2: ‘Absolutely world class’)

Arora, who has led Palo Alto Networks since 2018, has been instrumental in the company’s remarkable performance. Under his stewardship, the cybersecurity firm has seen its stock price surge fivefold, positioning it as a key player in the rapidly evolving landscape of Cloud, Application, and Network security. An appreciation post on X highlighted his impressive track record, stating, “When @nikesharora took over as CEO of Palo Alto Networks, I remember thinking ‘head of sales business guy taking over a deep tech company in a space with lots of existing competitors and new entrants. Good luck!’ … Stock is up 5x since he became CEO, and they’ve aggressively kept pace with internal development and M&A. Impressive!”

A witty comeback

However, the admiration wasn’t without controversy. A user named Sandeep Lakhina tried to undermine Arora’s qualifications by referring to him as an “untrained engineer.” This prompted Arora to respond with humour, clarifying, “Lol and he actually happens to be a trained engineer from IT-BHU (IIT-Varanasi).” His reply not only defended his credentials but also showcased his ability to engage with detractors in a light-hearted manner.

Check out the post here:

Pietersen joins the conversation

Kevin Pietersen, known for his outspoken nature, couldn’t resist joining the conversation. In a succinct reply to the appreciation post, he stated, “Quite simple—Nikesh is the GOAT!”

(Also read: Kevin Pietersen’s surprised reaction to South African schoolboy’s kick on rugby field: ‘Is this real?’)

Take a look at Pietersen’s reply here:

Educational background and experience

Arora holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering and has an impressive educational background that includes an MBA in Marketing from Northeastern University, as well as a Master of Science (MS) in Finance from Boston College. His LinkedIn profile reveals a robust career, having previously worked at industry giants such as Google, T-Mobile, and SoftBank.