By CricketCountry Staff
Former cricketer Shaun Udal on Tuesday slammed England batsman Kevin Pietersen, saying the middle-order mainstay cannot pick and choose Test matches for his country.
Published: Aug 07, 2012, 03:08 PM (IST)
Edited: Aug 07, 2012, 03:08 PM (IST)
Kevin Pietersen has reportedly requested ECB to allow him to play in the IPL 6, during England’s tour of New Zealand next year © Getty Images
By CricketCountry Staff
London: Aug 7, 2012
Former England cricketer Shaun Udal on Tuesday slammed batsman Kevin Pietersen, saying the middle-order mainstay cannot pick and choose Test matches for his country.
Pietersen has hinted he may announce retirement from Test cricket after the third Test against South Africa, to be played at Lord’s, unless England Cricket Board (ECB) compromises and allow him to play in the Indian Premier League (IPL) sixth edition next year.
England are scheduled to tour New Zealand at the same time IPL 6 will be held, and according to talkSPORT, Pietersen has reportedly asked to be allowed to miss the first two Test matches as he wants a full stint in the IPL.
“You can’t pick and choose your Test matches for England. It’s the greatest honour a player can have and not something you can take lightly. If you sign an ECB central contract, they’re your bosses and you’re dictated to by them and Kevin shouldn’t be any different,” Udal said.
“He says it’s not about money, but he would say that, but let’s get things out in the open because all of this could taint what has been a fantastic career,” he added.
However, Udal accepted that Pietersen is one of England’s best player and the team will suffer in his absence.
“Is he our best player? Yes. Will England be a worse team without him? Yes, without question. He’s one of the best players to have pulled on an England Test match shirt in the last ten years and if he’s not there who’s going to fill his shoes?
“Maybe the timing of it and what he says is typical of Kev. He tends to make massive statements and speaks before he thinks things through properly, but there’s obviously been a lot of stuff gone on in the background that we don’t know about for him to come out and say this stuff. There must have been a serious breakdown in communications,” he added.
