Former English cricketer, Kevin Pietersen has gone on to term the English cricketers to be T20 mercenaries even as he also had some criticism over the team selection for the first couple of Tests against India starting February 5. He reckons that England should go in with their best team against India, Pietersen said the best players “want to play as many games as possible against India” before “they go to IPL & earn everything they deserve.”
Pietersen had tweeted, “The BEST England players will want to play as many games as possible against India, in India. PICK THEM!” wrote Pietersen in another tweet. Then they go to IPL & earn everything they deserve. Cash is king for every sportsman. They’re a business! They can have a break after that!”
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When a fan pointed out that Pietersen was calling for England players to be T20 mercenaries, the former English skipper had this to say: “Country first when you’re a kid. Not when you’re the best players. IPL a priority instead of early season Tests.”
Bit of a mercenary outlook Kev. Playing test/ODI cricket gets players noticed. Country first sport👍🏻
— Mike Gerber (@strokemypuskas) January 24, 2021
https://twitter.com/KP24/status/1353250447914577921?s=20
https://twitter.com/KP24/status/1353245716295147520?s=20
In his later tweet, Kevin Pietersen wrote: “Winning IN India is as good a feeling as winning in Aus. It’s disrespectful to ENG fans & also @BCCI to NOT play your best team. Bairstow has to play! Broad/Anderson have to play!”
Jonny Bairstow has been excluded from the squad for the first two Tests even as he plays for England in the ongoing Test series in Sri Lanka. His omission was criticized by another former England captain, Michael Vaughan, who had said “the world is officially mad” while lashing out at the England selectors.
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England will be touring to India for four Tests, five T20Is, and three ODIs from February to March 2021 and both teams have named their squads for the first two Test matches. The experience English fast bowlers, James Anderson and Stuart Broad have been included in the squad even as England try to rest and rotate players as they will also be playing five Tests at home against India.
