By CricketCountry Staff
Former England skipper and commentator Nasser Hussain expressed that Kevin Pietersen’s decision to retire from ODI’s and T20’s can’t be judged until his real motives are known.
Published: Jun 02, 2012, 02:59 PM (IST)
Edited: Jun 02, 2012, 02:59 PM (IST)
Nasser Hussain supported England and Wales Cricket Board’s (ECB) decision to refuse permission to Kevin Pietersen for playing T20’s without representing for ODI’s © Getty Images
By CricketCountry Staff
London: June 2, 2012
Former England skipper and commentator Nasser Hussain expressed that Kevin Pietersen’s decision to retire from ODI’s and T20’s can’t be judged until his real motives are known.
“His decision to quit one-day international cricket – and with it Twenty20 internationals can’t be judged until it becomes clear what his motives are but if, as he says, his body needs a break, and if he wants to spend more time with his family in what is a punishing schedule, then I don’t have a problem,” Hussain wrote in one of his columns for The Daily Mail.
The former England skipper supported the England and Wales Cricket Board’s (ECB) decision to refuse permission for playing T20’s without representing in ODI’s. “He can’t have it both ways. But if he’s retiring so that he can free up time to play in all the glitzy Twenty20 tournaments around the world and earn as much as possible, I’d be very disappointed,” said Hussain.
He further added saying apart from ECB, team’s managing director Hugh Morris and Andy Flower too would have thought about the future of the ODI team before taking a decision on Pietersen’s retirement.
“They also want to avoid a situation in which their 50-over team starts to fall apart: if they allow one of their players to pick and choose his formats, what’s to stop others? They have to be seen to be fair: you can’t run a team any other way,” he said.
Hussain elaborated that Andy Flower and Hugh Morris’ disappointment over the aggressive batsman’s retirement was justified.
“I can see why Morris said he was ‘disappointed’ at Pietersen’s decision. In less than four months’ time England go to Sri Lanka to defend their World Twenty20 trophy. They still have a chance of success, but that chance is reduced by Pietersen’s absence. England will also now have to sort out yet another one-day opening partnership after Pietersen gelled so well with Alastair Cook in the UAE. That will really annoy Flower,” said Hussain.
Kevin Pietersen’s retirement has come as a surprise for many, as cricketers around the world were astonished at the decision of the batsman to bid adieu to a format which was best suited for him.
