England omission saved marriage: Pietersen
MUMBAI : Kevin Pietersen, who fought a lengthy battle with the England cricket management following his unceremonious exit from the national side post Ashes 2013-14, says that the axing came as a blessing in disguise, helping him save his marriage. Pieter sen, who also captained England in 2008, lamented it was the ‘worst year of his life’.
Pieter sen looked set to become the first bats man from England to make 10,000 runs but saw his career coming to a sudden halt after 104 Tests in which he accumulated 8,181 runs.
Kevin Pieter sen last played for England in the Sydney Test in January 2014, the final match of the Ashes 2013-14 series in which the visiting side was hammered 0-5 by Australia.
He was shown the door post the horrible tour of Australia, and despite the maverick cricketer treading waters in the English domestic circuit, he was never included back in.
More than three years since his last match for England, Pietersen has thanked the team bosses for axing him. “England did me a favour in sacking me in 2014 because it has helped me with my relationship with my kids no end. I didn’t want to be a lousy dad. For the birth of my son Dylan in 2010 I had to fly back from playing in the Caribbean, see him being born then get a helicopter to G at wick the next day to play in a semi-final for England. I was absent,” Pietersen was quoted as saying by news.com.au.
“Jess has been a rock tome but we’ve had tough times. People don’t understand the pressure that goes on between the four walls of home when it’s all going wrong, like it did form eon a daily basis foray ear. We’ ve put up with a hell of a lot while I was playing for England,” he added.
Pietersen, who captained England in three Tests and 12 O DI sin 2008, says the tenure was the ‘worst year of his life’. He did not get to see his son Dylan enough.
“I was under strict protocols. They tell you where you have be, you have to ask to do this and that. I had the best time playing for England. I wouldn’t live here if I didn’t love England. There have been hurdles. I was under the microscope. When I was captain, it was the worst year of my life,” he said.
“That massive fallout I had with England raised my profile and assisted and enabled me to turn a bad thing into a good thing.” The 37-year-old added that this will be his last year playing cricket in England.