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Kevin Pietersen was in no mood to spare England team following their 0-3 ODI series whitewash against India. The former England captain launched a scathing attack of Jos Buttler-led side for the dismal show on India tour. Pietersen claimed that the team had neglected practice sessions since their first ODI loss in Nagpur, instead prioritising golf. He sharply reminded them that their primary responsibility was to win cricket matches, not to enjoy leisure activities.
Kevin Pietersen rips apart England team after 0-3 ODI series whitewash against India
Pietersen's remark came after England's embarrassing 142-run defeat against India in Ahmedabad, which was their their second-biggest ODI loss to Men in Blue. It was Shubman Gill's robust century which was coupled with brilliant fifties from Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer, that helped India post a gigantic total of 356 runs. In response, the English batting lineup faltered, with no batter reaching a score of 40, which saw them getting folded for just 214 runs in just 34.2 overs.
Meanwhile, Pietersen made a shocking claim that England team didn't practice since the first game which left him flabbergasted.
“I was flabbergasted when I heard that England had not practiced since the first game, absolutely flabbergasted. I get it, these are the best times of your life, play your golf, eat out at beautiful restaurants… just have the best time, really enjoy playing for England. But by crikey, you get paid to score runs, that’s why you get paid. You get paid to win games of cricket, you don’t get paid to play golf. This is not a golf tour, this is a cricket tour," Pietersen said on Star Sports.
Pietersen had earlier criticised Tom Banton, the match's top scorer who joined the team mid-series, for allegedly choosing golf over practice. Following the match, Pietersen further asserted that Joe Root appeared to be the only England player who was genuinely focused and taking the series seriously.
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“The day before the Nagpur game, they haven’t practiced since," Pietersen added. “There’s only one batter, Joe Root, who has had a net. But I am sorry, you cannot come to the subcontinent and keep on making the same mistakes and then decide that I am not going to practice. There’s not a single sportsman — man or woman — who goes into a series, into a career, and decides I am going to get better without practice. I am sorry, I am just so, so sorry," Pietersen added.
England crushing ODI series defeat at the hands of India came as a big setback to their preparations for the upcoming Champions Trophy 2025 which is set to get underway from February 19. The loss in Ahmedabad was their seventh in just eight matches, raising serious concerns about the team's form. Earlier, Buttler's brigade suffered a 1-4 series defeat against India in the five-match T20I series.
