Former English cricketer Kevin Pietersen claimed that the English Test opener Keaton Jennings can’t bat while he also added that he would have dropped the experienced pacer Stuart Broad for his recent poor performances away from home.

The English Test opener Jennings is struggling to score runs. In the recently concluded five-match home Test series against India, Jennings totally failed and his place is under serious threat. Disappointed Pietersen feels Jennings can’t bat in international level while Alastair Cook’s retirement is a big loss in English cricket.

The former English cricketer told talkSPORT in this matter, “Jennings can’t bat, I’m sorry. They are going to have to find somebody else. Cook is a big loss. I know he has been wishy-washy over the last couple of months but he finished on a fairy tale ending, which is brilliant for him but to replace that kind of guy at the top of the order, it is going to be difficult.

“I just don’t see county cricket producing Test cricketers at the moment. The issue is deep-rooted. All the best players in the world now are not playing county cricket. They are earning their cash in franchise cricket. Therefore, the standard of county cricket isn’t great, the standard of county batsmen is poor, and it is causing a massive issue in cabs on the rank for batting places.

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“I’m not a massive fan of Vince, if I’m honest. He had his chances. I watched him play down under last year. He played nicely, but I just didn’t like the way he went about his business on a couple of occasions when the ball started to bounce. For the tour of South Africa next year, the ball will bounce.”

Also read: Nasser Hussain calls to drop Keaton Jennings in Sri Lanka tour

During the late India series, Moeen Ali returned to the no.3 batting spot which Pietersen doesn’t support.

Pietersen said, “I don’t think Moeen Ali is a number three. He wasn’t playing his natural game [against India], he is more free-flowing down the order.

“I like Jason Roy. He has got oomph, he has got guts, he has got runs at the top of the order in Australia. He scored that brilliant 180 at the MCG. It is about how guys score their runs and what their personalities are like. I would be all for Roy at the top of the order with Rory Burns.”

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Pietersen also wants to drop the English pacer Stuart Broad from the Test squad as he believes Broad hasn’t performed well away from home in recent times.

The former English stylish cricketer commented on Broad, “I would have dropped him last winter. He doesn’t perform that well away from home. He had one good Ashes series and what he delivered for England in the big Ashes series last year was hopeless. I’ve been on tours of the sub-continent, he doesn’t like touring the sub-continent so it wouldn’t surprise me and it would be a very good move if they dropped him.”

Meanwhile, another experienced English pacer James Anderson recently becomes the leading Test wicket-taker as a pace bowler.

When Pietersen was asked whether he counts Anderson as England’s best ever cricketer, Pietersen said, “I wouldn’t say he is the very best just because he has bowled most of his overs in England with the Duke ball and if you want to be a fast bowler anywhere it is with the Duke ball in England.

“I talked about Alastair Cook the other day saying he deserves the fairy-tale ending. He has played 160 Test matches and has had to face a brand new Duke cricket ball against some of the best bowlers in the world for 12 years. He deserves that fairy-tale ending. Jimmy Anderson, on the flipside, a wonderful bowler, he is one of the best and facing him in the nets was an absolute nightmare. His wrist position, the way he swung the ball, he is wonderful. Is he the best? I don’t know.

Also read: Alastair Cook claims Kevin Pietersen’s sack was his regretful decision

“Best are the guys that did well in the sub-continent, did well in Australia. I think that is the mark of the best. But he is right up there, his numbers prove that.”