Cook plays it straight on Pietersen injury

ENGLAND captain Alastair Cook was forced to defend the decision to allow top batsman Kevin Pietersen to play the first two Tests against New Zealand despite being hampered by a knee injury that forced him out of the series decider starting today.

Pietersen withdrew late on Wednesday for the third and final match at Eden Park after he played the first two Tests of the series.

The 32-year-old was experiencing discomfort in a warmup match prior to the first Test at University Oval and spent time off the field in Dunedin, where he looked out-of-sorts while fielding.

He played the second game at the Basin Reserve but the England team management and medical staff decided not to risk aggravating his injury any further in Auckland as Cook’s side prepare for backto-back Ashes series later this year.

“Before every game ... you do what you do with every player and assess them before every game,” Cook told reporters at Eden Park.

“Clearly he felt, and we felt, he could get through those two games and this game might be a step too far.

“It has got progressively worse so we made the decision that he would now go home and it will be looked at.” Pietersen was expected in England late yesterday to see a surgeon, Cook said, where a full prognosis would be made.

Initial assessments said Pietersen would need up to six weeks off to recover, suggesting he could be available for the return series against New Zealand before Cook’s side host the Champions Trophy oneday tournament and then play Australia for the Ashes.

While having a player of Pietersen’s calibre, presuming he did not require surgery, well rested ahead of their heavy domestic summer workload, Cook was not over the moon at the prospect of the right-hander needing time away from the game.

“At the moment it’s not good for English cricket because one of our biggest players and better batters has got injury concerns heading into the English summer. That’s not ideal,” he said.

Johnny Bairstow would come into the side in place of Pietersen and would bat at six, Cook said. Ian Bell and Joe Root would both move up a spot to accommodate Bairstow. — Reuters