Pietersen questions England’s sense of direction
London, June 8: Kevin Pietersen has questioned whether England know where they are going, saying their focus on one- day cricket risks alienating fans who care more about Test success.
The past two years have seen a vast improvement in England's limited- overs form, with a team that suffered an embarrassing firstround exit at the 2015 World Cup now top of the one- day international rankings.
The form of Eoin Morgan's side has been a huge boost to the England and Wales CricketBoard ( ECB), who have staked a lot — including a contentious rejigging of the domestic season — on England winning the World Cup for the first time when the 2019 edition takes place on home soil.
But England's white- ball rise has been accompanied by a dip in their Test results, with Joe Root's men going down to a 4- 0 Ashes defeat in Australia before a 1- 0 series reverse in New Zealand.
England have prided themselves on being a tough Test side to beat in their own conditions but had to battle back to share a two- match series against Pakistan 1- 1 after a thumping nine- wicket loss in the first Test at Lord's.
And Pietersen said oneday success was being prioritised to the “detriment” of England's Test- match form. “I don't know which direction they want to go in,” former England batsman Pietersen said.
“We won a T20 World Cup, we won the Ashes home and away, we beat India in India a few years ago,” added the 37- year- old.
“England haven't won a 50- over World Cup, I know that was the message a few years ago to do that and you can see they are driving towards that World Cup in England next summer, at the detriment of Test cricket,” Pietersen explained.