Published 17:01 IST, February 28th 2021
Pietersen asks England to stop whining about pitch & introspect, warns coach Silverwood
Citing Kohli and Rohit Sharma's example, Pietersen remarked that the English players will have to accept and iron out their flaws and errors they committed
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Launching a scathing attack at Joe Root & Co. for crying foul over the pitch after an embarrassing defeat in the third Test against India, former cricketer Kevin Pietersen urged England Head Coach Chris Silverwood to 'wind his neck in' and own up the defeat rather than blaming others. Pietersen, who played for England from 2005-2013, denounced the noise over 'under-prepared' pitches and also shunned reports stating that the visitors are mulling to lodge an official complaint against the wickets. Citing Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma's example, Pietersen remarked that the English players will have to accept and iron out their flaws and errors they committed in the third Test against India at the Narendra Modi Stadium.
"If Chris Silverwood is now starting to complain and moan about the pitch that is as defeatist an attitude as I have ever heard of. He should wind his neck in. If you point your finger at someone else, four fingers point back at you and that’s what England need to remember," the Daily Mail quoted Pietersen.
"Instead of the negative, defeatist attitude, instead of blaming the ICC, blaming the pitch, trying to get India deducted points, all the nonsense surrounding that, I would be thinking, “Fine, 21 of us missed straight balls, let me go and sort my defence out against the straight ball and the spinner”. Virat Kohli spoke about it. Rohit Sharma spoke about it. They both said both teams didn’t bat well. So be honest. You’re allowed to be honest as a sportsman," he highlighted.
The former England batsman highlighted his knock of 186 runs against India back in 2012 at the Wankhede Stadium and affirmed that neither that pitch nor the one in Ahmedabad during the current series was 'dangerous'. Pointing out at how Rohit Sharma, who scored a valiant half-century in the first innings of the third Test, used his feet to tackle the spinners, Pietersen questioned if the English batsmen also used a similar technique. Maintaining that the current touring squad led by Joe Root is full of talent and skill, he added that they are 'inexperienced' and will have to work harder to bounce back in the tours that lie ahead.
'England batted poorly'
Further, hitting the pitch critics out-of-park, Pietersen reiterated Indian players as he highlighted that every cricketing nation builds pitches to their strengths in order to gain a home advantage. The English cricketer remarked that when India tour England later this year, Kohli & Co will be playing on green seaming wickets that will be prepared by English curators to give Root's men an advantage.
"I can understand people saying the wicket in Ahmedabad was atrocious and maybe it was under-prepared. But England batted first on it and England batted poorly. India have better spinners and England chose three fast bowlers to play on a turning wicket, so England need to look a bit closer to home before they start thinking about lodging huge complaints here, there and everywhere," Pietersen added.
He also lambasted the England Cricket Board (ECB) over the rotation policy opted which allowed Moeen Ali to skip three Tests against India. Before concluding, Pietersen opined that he wouldn't play three seamers in India, an apparent dig at the England management which chose to field three pacers in the playing XI for the Ahmedabad Test.
England to lodge complaint?
After an embarrassing 10-wicket defeat in the third Test, England is mulling to lodge an official complaint against the pitch at the Narendra Modi Stadium used for the pink-ball game which ended within two days. This comes despite several players, including England skipper Joe Root, clarifying that the pitch had no part to play in the game and it was the batsmen from both the teams who failed to perform. If the pitch is doomed 'poor' by the ICC, India could be docked World Test Championship (WTC) points hampering its chances to qualify for the finale in June later this year.
After the defeat against India, England Head Coach Chris Silverwood remarked that he would be having a chat with skipper Joe Root 'behind the scenes' to chalk out their action over the wicket. Silverwood had stated that the English team is 'disappointed' with the early finish and added that they've spoken to the match referee - Javagal Srinath - but not about the pitch.
17:01 IST, February 28th 2021