Relieved to be out of England dressing room, says Kevin Pietersen
The former England cricketer and captain, Kevin Pietersen in his first column for Telegraph, has revealed that he was happy to be out of the team’s “poor” dressing room environment and felt satisfied with his international career. Pietersen, who turns 34 this month also mentioned that he has moved on from the ECB’s decision not to consider him for international matches anymore.
“In fact, it has been a relief to be out of the dressing room because it was not a pleasant place in Australia. We were losing and in my opinion the environment was poor and I was not alone in thinking that. It is a view shared by a number of the players who have spoken their minds since coming back from the tour,” Pietersen stated.
“I will have no anger, no negative thoughts whatsoever when England walk out without me at Lord’s on Thursday to play their first Test (against Sri Lanka) since the winter. I wish my friends in the England team well. I have moved on from the England and Wales Cricket Board’s decision to end my international career and have put things in perspective,” Pietersen wrote.
The prolific right-handed batmen received plenty of support from all parts of the cricketing world when ECB announced its decision. In his column, Pietersen recalled his initial cricketing days and felt “grateful” for what he had with cricket.
“Fourteen years ago, I was an off-spinner from Pietermaritzburg who did not know where his life was going. I had a notion that I wanted to make a life in England but had no idea if I would succeed. Now I have played 104 Tests, batted at all the best grounds in the world and been lucky enough to score hundreds everywhere. Could I play more Test cricket? Yes of course, but should I sit here thinking I should be playing on Thursday? No, because that is when jealousy and negative thoughts come into your head.
“I am grateful for what I have had and moved on with my life. I have scored 13,500 international runs for England and it would be greedy to want more, so I am at peace with everything. It took only a couple of conversations with my family to start thinking this way because of how much I really did not enjoy the winter,” Pietersen further mentioned.
The South-African born also stated that Andy Flower, the then England coach wanted him away and added that he is still maintaining a good relationship with his former teammates.
“By then (after the Ashes 2013 in Australia) I thought that Andy Flower wanted me out. After the Sydney Test, a headline came out claiming Flower had said to the ECB it was either “him or me”. He denied saying that but the damage was done.
But my relationship with the other players was fine. We had an incredible tour on and off the field. I was helping all the bowlers out with their batting, and the night we lost 5-0 we were all having a drink in the bar together with our wives and girlfriends, which proves all was OK between us and still is.
I have no issue with the players, as many have said in interviews since the tour ended. I speak to Stuart Broad and I even organised for Graeme Swann to go on holiday to one of my friend’s hotels after he retired,” Pietersen wrote.