KP: I'd love to play for England again

Cricket365
July 22, 2014

Former England batsman Kevin Pietesen has made it clear that he wouldn't say no to a return to the national side, despite being discarded after the Ashes defeat in Australia earlier this year.

Pietersen was speaking after England lost to India at Lord's on Monday, stretching their winless streak to 10 Tests, and with skipper Alastair Cook, a big reason for KP's exit, facing the sack, Pietersen's chances are not entirely lost.

He was their highest scorer in the Ashes, though still relatively poor, it must be said, though still averaged over 47 in Tests when he was told he was no longer part of England's plans. He felt his positive attitude could help the struggling side now.

Pietersen told BT Sport: "I'd love to play for England again but we might to have for a few things to change before that could possibly happen.

"Over the next 12 months there's an opportunity to win a World Cup in Australia and to get the Ashes back. To pick up a trophy with the England team would be sensational and to avenge what has happened over the past 12 months would be what dreams are made of.

"What I know I could bring to that England team is helping those youngsters play a brand of cricket which would develop their games.

"Having a player in the middle order that plays a positive brand of cricket, helps a lot of the players around him too.

"You look at (Ian) Bell, who's struggling at the moment. I know how Rooty (Joe Root) feels about his batting and he's going to be a superstar. I worked with him for a while and it would be nice to continue that work.

"I always gave 100 per cent to the England team in training and on the cricket field and who knows, maybe in the dressing room I could have helped a few of the others play differently."

Pietersen has not been playing much cricket domestically since his retirement, but has been in action for Surrey's T20 side, played in the IPL for Delhi, and is now off to the Caribbean Premier League.