KEVIN Pietersen admits he is “sick and tired” of having to constantly defend his participation in the Indian Premier League and believes he is in the best form of his career. Pietersen has spent three weeks with the Delhi Daredevils before starting preparations for England’s summer programme by playing for Surrey in their LV= County Championship clash against Worcestershire.
The encounter represents Pietersen’s only first-class action before England face West Indies in next week’s first Test at Lord’s.
But the 31-year-old has no qualms about taking part in the lucrative IPL and is confident about adjusting to the early season conditions batsman have to confront in this country. He said: “It’s plain and simple. I’m sick and tired of having to defend myself about going to the IPL every year.”
He added: “I don’t see why I need to defend myself. It’s something that’s there which all the best players in the world play in. There is no need to defend myself. Someone in the Indian media asked about ex-players talking about whether it’s a good idea for me to play in India.
“Every single time in March and April, I have to defend myself about going to India. But it’s not going to change, I will play in the IPL, it’s the best tournament going, and that’s the way it is.”
He was confined to fielding duties on a rain-hit first day at New Road as Worcestershire reached 56 without loss.
But Pietersen, who looked in marvellous touch when his innings of 151 helped England secure their only Test win of the winter against Sri Lanka in Colombo last month, claimed: “I feel like I’ve never batted better.
“I feel in great nick at the moment but everyone knows you have a couple of bad scores and everyone says you are in bad nick again.
“I know that is not true but all I’m doing at the moment is concentrating on my batting, doing whatever I can do to influence a fixture here in Worcester. I’m at the stage of my career now where that’s all I want to do, just influence games positively and play to the requirements of the team and whatever happens, happens.”
IPL talk drives KP nuts
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