Kevin Pietersen’s future in England cricket team is under threat due to IPL status

Kevin Pietersen is facing the threat of extending his career in the England and Wales Cricket Board due to his interest in playing the cash-rich Indian Premier League (IPL). His too much focus on the lucrative Twenty20 tournament made his relation with the cricket board worse, though central contracts give him the freedom to take part in the IPL.

If Delhi Daredevils does not select him as the retained player then he will have very less possibility to be drawn on the players’ auction list. If he fails to manage a club for this year’s IPL season then he may not be considered for England’s summer Test plans. So, it is almost clear that his fate on England cricket is highly connected with his getting selected in one of the IPL franchises.

It should be noted here that England cricket team had a bitter experience in the recently concluded Ashes series. Pietersen failed to do well with the bat. It raised the question of his being selected by any IPL club.

List of retained players will be announced by the IPL franchises on Friday. 

Kevin Pietersen takes retirement from ODI and T20

It looks like that hard hitter English batsman, Kevin Pietersen, cannot take pressure of playing too much international cricket in a calendar year. The 31-year-old player has taken retirement from ODI and T20 cricket. However, he will continue playing Test cricket for England.

His decision of taking retirement from all limited-overs international has come as a big blow for England cricket team. It comes almost four months before the start of T20 World Cup 2012 in Sri Lanka. England will try to defend their title for the second time.

However, he has no interest of taking retirement from the IPL. This kind of decision will further increase tensions between IPL and international cricket. It will also intensify the debate of IPL getting more importance than the national service.

Kevin Pietersen thinks that his retirement will help young players to show their talent in the international arena. Pietersen should re-think about his decision and should make his inclusion to England’s T20 squad to defend the title.

Pietersen has played 127 ODI matches and scored 4184 at an average of 41.84 with a career best 130. In ODI format of cricket game, he has scored 9 centuries and 23 half-centuries. Playing 36 T20s, he has scored 1176 runs at an average of 37.93 with 7 half-centuries.