Andrew Flintoff: ECB should clarify decision to sack Kevin Pietersen

Kevin Pietersen and Andrew Flintoff

London, Dec 19 (IANS) Former England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff on Friday urged the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to satisfactorily explain the reasons for sacking former captain and star batsman Kevin Pietersen.

"What Kevin's done can't be as bad as what's been portrayed and it's time the ECB told us, the paying public who are missing out on watching him, what went on," Flintoff was quoted as saying by Sky Sports.

Pietersen was dropped following the Ashes whitewash last winter, with ECB managing director Paul Downton since claiming that the 34-year-old had become "disengaged" from the side. However, former Pietersen's former teammate Flintoff believes the ECB should go into further detail about why they axed a player with 23 Test and nine One-Day International (ODI) centuries.

The 37-year-old also believed that Pietersen was an immensely talented cricketer, but the common people were extremely judgemental about him.

"I think Kevin is somebody with immense talent who people are quick to praise when he is good and jump on straightaway when he has a bad game or something doesn't go his way," he added.

Flintoff scored 3,845 runs and took 226 wickets for England in 79 Test matches.