Kevin Pietersen has got new hopes to comeback in England team as incoming ECB chairman Colin Graves said has mentioned that Kevin should have to play first county cricket if he is looking to play again for England. KP was sacked from England & Wales Cricket Board after the defeat in Ashes series 2014 by 5-0 margin.
Graves told BBC Radio 5 live’s Sportsweek, “The first thing he’s got to do if he wants to get back is play county cricket for somebody.”
Colin Graves further added that team selection only depends on selectors and coaches what they think about team. They know better what is best for English Cricket. He said, “It’s down to the selectors, down to the coaches, of what they see, what is best for English cricket. They will make the decisions and I will support them when it comes to that decision.”
After this statement from new chairman of board an ECB Spokesman has also indicated that if Pietersen performs well in county cricket. The selection of process in the national side is based on the county season and nothing has changes. He said, “Colin Graves is correct. Nothing has changed – only players who are playing consistent high-quality county cricket and who are seen as a positive influence will be selected for England.”
Kevin Pietersen was happy after getting such kind of comment from upcoming chairman Colin Graves. Pietersen said, “It’s come as a pleasant surprise but one that I’ll need to have a think through. I’ll definitely want to speak to the ECB. Let’s just be clear – I’d love to play for England again. If it’s genuine, which I’m sure it is, seeing as it’s pretty public … Goodness, I would love to be given that opportunity again.”
“It’s a decision that would be purely on the basis on ‘do I want to play cricket for England? Is this is a genuine situation if I score runs for potentially Surrey, play for England again’, well it’s a decision like that I’m going to have to make this week.”
Pitersen is still love to play for England again and desperate to get opportunity. But before getting into he is keen to make things clear with ECB as he has done contract with other international twenty20 leagues as IPL and CPL.
“I will need to go away and make some decisions; I need to speak to a few people. Clearly (I’ve) spent a lot of time with a lot of people who have helped me make a lot of decisions in my career. So I’ll have to go away now and see where my future lies. But it’s really, really encouraging. This is about me playing cricket for England, doing something that I love. The money, for me, is not something I’m interested in. I haven’t been interested in money for a long time.”
KP also mentioned that he had some personal issues with coach when he used to play and he also believes that in upcoming days he will not be along with national side the way team is performing.
He said, “I had a bit of a personality clash with a previous coach. I think he’s no longer the coach of England. If you go into the bits and pieces I said throughout the last 12 months I just had to make a case there was another side to a story. I think that’s been perfectly made.”
