Kevin Pietersen hits back at Stuart Broad on Twitter over poor form comments

Kevin Pietersen (L) and Stuart Broad

Former England batsman Kevin Pietersen has hit out at former teammate Stuart Broad for his recent comments that the former wasn’t in great form during the last 18 months of his England career, asking the opening bowler to have a look at his statistics. Broad, however, had also said that the Pietersen issue could’ve been handled in a much better way by the England team management.

“It just became a bit of a media uproar, the whole sacking, it just seemed a bit unnecessary when every other player in the history of the game just gets dropped for poor form,” Broad said in a radio interview to the BBC.

“His form was pretty poor over 18 months, every other player just gets dropped. Obviously Kevin’s very disappointed with that and every player should be disappointed if you’re not going to represent your country again. It could have been handled very differently, I think, by everyone,” he added.

Broad had also ruled out a return for Pietersen to England colours in the near future.

“He’s not played any red ball cricket for a year so I don’t think a return in Test matches is very likely and he’s not set the world alight in white ball format either,” he said.

Pietersen, clearly unimpressed by Broad’s comments, tweeted:

“KP in last 18 months, 20 tests: 4 100's, 8 50's, top scored in Aus despite suffering from chronic knee problem.” Poor form @StuartBroad8?

— Kevin Pietersen (@KP24) January 11, 2015

The South-African born player amassed 422 runs at an average of 52.75 in 5 Tests during the 2012 home season with one century and two half-centuries to his name. He had a decent time with the bat during the summer of 2013 as well, scoring 388 runs in 5 Tests at an average of 38.80.

If Pietersen’s numbers are compared with those of captain Alastair Cook, it can be safely said that the former has done far better. In the 2012 season, Cook scored 371 runs in 6 Tests at an average of 37.10 and his numbers in 2013 aren’t too dissimilar, with the left-hander having racked up 494 runs in 7 Tests at an average of 35.28.