Pietersen hits out at tour schedule

[eddyfinn]

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Kevin Pietersen has hit out at England's schedule leading up to the World Cup, describing it as "ridiculous".

England will fly out for the showpiece tournament just three days after arriving back from the current tour of Australia, which began back in October.

With a protracted World Cup campaign to follow, should England reach the April 2 final in Mumbai they would have been away from home for all but those three days in five and a half months.

"Our schedule is ridiculous going into this World Cup," said Pietersen.

"It has been for England teams for a very long time and that's probably why England have not done well in World Cups."

The 30-year-old also blasted the format of the World Cup, which lasts six weeks, adding: "It's far too long. How can the England team play once and then in six days' time play again, and then in six days' time play again?

"It's ridiculous but there's nothing we can do about the schedules.

"I wouldn't say we're going to be knackered because it's going to be the World Cup and we all want to win this World Cup.

"I know what I'll be doing (in the three-day break) - lying on my couch."

Turnaround
Should England reach the World Cup final Pietersen faces another quick turnaround before tournaments with the Indian Premier League due to begin immediately afterwards.

Pietersen said he may only return home for 24 hours before flying back to India to join up with his new Deccan Chargers franchise, who purchased him for US$650,000.

While admitting it will be difficult to be away from his family, Pietersen insists he never thought of skipping the tournament.

"I don't know about second thoughts about the IPL," he said.

"When you're in a good thing, you know it's a good thing and you enjoy it, I was always going to be putting my name in the hat for it.

"It's such a relaxed environment as much as the intensity is electric, the intensity is 100 percent on the field.

"Away from the field it's so relaxing, you get to meet and mix with different players and this is an opportunity to go to another team with different players.

"But it's going to be tough. The hardest part is not going to be able to see my family.

"I'm not going to take Dylan to India. I will be definitely going home after the World Cup and before the IPL, 100 percent, even if it's only 24 hours."

Pietersen's price represented a drop in his value after he was bought by the Royal Challengers Bangalore for a then record $1.55million two years ago.


Fortunate
Despite the fall in price Pietersen said he felt "fortunate" to be paid such a sum of money to play cricket.

"It's not a mere $650,000. I've always said whatever you get in the IPL is an absolute bonus," he added.

"We're fortunate enough to have six or five weeks, and who earns that kind of money in five weeks?

"Nobody, unless you're Rooney or Lampard or Ronaldo or John Terry.

"You look at it and just go, we're very fortunate and in a very fortunate position, so if I got 200, 300, 400, you do whatever it is you need to do, and enjoy the five weeks.

"It's relaxed, fun cricket."

The end to this tour is a joke first no need for 7 ODI's, second why do they insist on having only two ODI games a week and 1 game every 6 days in the world cup yet its ok to have back to back test matches? This all goes towards England being the most overworked team in world cricket.

 

[essex boy]

Is KP playing in the IPL after the world cup?

 

[eddyfinn]

Is KP playing in the IPL after the world cup?

yes as he states it the arcticle, he won't be taking his family to india but who could blame him.

 

[wilberforce]

to be fair he does have a point, and openenly admits he's doing the ipl for the dosh

 

[Aleem Dar]

So anything to do with his main employers (The ECB) is 'ridiculous' yet when someone wants to pay him upwards of $500,000 to do the same thing then it's "fun, relaxed cricket".

Hmmm.

 

[Hetzkes Ballet Teacher]

When is he going to learn to do less hitting out at things?

 

[toosb]

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The end to this tour is a joke first no need for 7 ODI's, second why do they insist on having only two ODI games a week and 1 game every 6 days in the world cup yet its ok to have back to back test matches? This all goes towards England being the most overworked team in world cricket.

It isn't, like hard work though is it?

 

[eddyfinn]

It isn't, like hard work though is it?

of course its not and he states he very lucky but you can't keep expecting lads to perform to their best if they play too much.

After the year we have had which has included 4 test series 5 ODI series and a 20/20 world cup we should have given the lads two to three weeks off to get ready for this world cup.