Pietersen rubbishes retirement rumours

England

England batsman Kevin Pietersen has dismissed speculation that he's thinking of retiring from Test cricket after the Ashes in Australia, saying he wants to reach 10,000 Test runs before hanging up his gloves.

England batsman Kevin Pietersen has dismissed speculation that he's thinking of retiring from Test cricket after the Ashes in Australia, saying he wants to reach 10,000 Test runs before hanging up his gloves.

Pietersen is 33, and has dealt with a number of injury setbacks in recent months, but says he doesn't feel over the hill yet, and has at least three more years left in him, including the 2015 World Cup.

The Pietermaritzburg-born batsman is one Test short of his 100th cap, and averages over 48 in the longest format. He is just shy of 8000 Test runs, and says he is happy to endure the boredom of fielding and training if it means he can bat.

Pietersen said in the <i>Daily Mail</i>: "I grew up dreaming of playing international cricket so why not just fulfill every single ambition I wanted as a kid?

"I'd love 10,000 Test runs but you have to stay in form and injury free. I'm 33, but I wouldn't say I'm getting on.

"I would love to play Test cricket for another three or four years. We've got the next World Cup in 2015 and I'd love to play in that.

"Fielding can be a bit of a bore sometimes and warm-ups definitely get me down but the run-scoring is something I want to keep going."

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