Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: Former England captain Kevin Pietersen has made a startling revelation about the abrupt end to his international career, claiming his decision to prioritise the Indian Premier League led to a fallout with the establishment that ultimately cost him his place in the national side.Speaking in a candid interaction with Ranveer Allahbadia, Pietersen reflected on the sacrifices he made in the late 2000s when the England and Wales Cricket Board was reluctant to allow centrally contracted players to feature in the IPL. His stance, he said, triggered a long-standing conflict that shaped the final phase of his England journey.‘I made big sacrifices, I lost my career’On being responsible for English cricketers playing in the IPL today, Pietersen did not hold back while recounting the episode. “I made big sacrifices. I lost my career. That’s the reason why everybody in that establishment went against me,” he said.The explosive batter believes his international career was cut short prematurely. “I was 33 when my England career finished, 104 Test matches. I should have played 150-160 Tests and got 12,000-13,000 runs. That’s what I should have got,” he added, underlining the scale of what he feels was left unfulfilled.Pietersen ended his Test career with 8181 runs at 47.28 average, which included 23 hundreds and 35 fifties. Pietersen’s decision to play in the IPL at a time when it clashed with England’s commitments led to a power struggle with the board, with the issue becoming a highly publicised flashpoint in English cricket.Opening doors for future generationsDespite the personal cost, Pietersen believes his stance paved the way for modern English players to participate freely in franchise leagues. “I interviewed Jos Buttler a few days ago, and he also said ‘thank you’. Because of all the sacrifices I had made, these guys can have the fruits now,” he revealed.He also hinted at the intensity of the conflict at the time. “The ECB used The Telegraph to go after me… I don’t want to go too deep into it. It was well publicised, and I live a very happy, peaceful life now,” Pietersen said.Having debuted in the IPL with Royal Challengers Bengaluru in 2009, Pietersen went on to enjoy a successful stint in T20 leagues worldwide after his England exit.
