Former England cricketer Kevin Pietersen has strongly criticized Jos Buttler’s team for their lackluster performance during their recent white-ball tour of India. England endured a humiliating run, losing seven out of eight matches across formats, including a 1-4 defeat in the T20I series and a 0-3 whitewash in the ODIs. What frustrated Pietersen the most, however, was the team’s decision to prioritize golf over practice sessions.
Taking to social media, Pietersen expressed his disapproval after coming across an article by a UK journalist defending England’s choice to skip training. The journalist argued that injuries and a tight schedule led to the decision. However, Pietersen was unwilling to accept such justifications, holding the team accountable for failing to put up a fight against a dominant Indian side.
He took to X and wrote, “Just got sent an article where a leading UK journo has said that Shastri & I got it wrong last night when discussing England not training. Reason – injuries and quick turnaround between games…! Do me a f*****g favour! Stop writing about cricket if you’re going to write such rubbish. Injuries are part of sport and this schedule is like every bilateral series almost ever played. Injuries are NOT stopping batters from batting against net bowlers and learning the art of playing spin. And that’s where they should have been to IMPROVE! Trust me on this one as it saved my career against spin! It seems the journos are in cahoots with what we’re trying to be brainwashed into believing! You won’t fool the fan with such!”
Just got sent an article where a leading UK journo has said that Shastri & I got it wrong last night when discussing England not training.
— Kevin Pietersen🦏 (@KP24) February 13, 2025
Reason – injuries and quick turnaround between games…! 🤣🤣🤣🤣
Do me a f*****g favour! Stop writing about cricket if you’re going to write…
During the third ODI in Ahmedabad, former India head coach Ravi Shastri, who was on commentary duty, remarked that he had heard England had “just one net session this entire trip, if not any.” His statement only added fuel to the criticism, as it further highlighted England’s apparent lack of preparation.
Kevin Pietersen did not hold back his frustration, voicing his concerns on a post-match show on Star Sports before taking to social media to emphasize the importance of dedication at the highest level. According to him, England’s underwhelming performance was not just about skill but also a question of attitude and effort—something he believes was severely lacking throughout the tour.
