Kevin Pietersen has put the heat on the England batters by indicating that apart from Joe Root, they lack ‘hunger’ and ‘desire’ to give big contributions to England’s innings. He even stated that most players have grown ‘too comfortable’ and are under the impression that if they fail, they can just ‘take the day off and play golf.’
Pietersen went on this enraged rant after the first innings of the 2nd ODI, played between India and England in Cuttack on Sunday. England batted first and scored only 304 in 49.5 overs with Joe Root and Ben Duckett managing scores of 69 (72) and 65 (56), respectively. Once again, England failed to take all 10 Indian wickets during the fifth of the eight-match ODI series and were bowled out.
“It really strikes me that there is just a glaring lack of hunger and a lack of desire to go out there and score that big one, that 130, that 140,” Pietersen said on Star Sports. “Like, it’s just too easy. You get 40, 50, 60. That’s cool. I’m fine. I made my fifty, I made my sixty. I will probably play the next game; if not, I will take the day off and play golf and do what I love. It just seems there is something missing. ‘Hey man, come on! Let’s go and get that hundred, that 130.’ This team should be scoring 350 today.”
“It could probably have been Joe Root. It looks plausible; yes, Duckett could have batted in place of Root. However, Duckett clearly delivered. Did it have to be Duckett? It could have been Duckett; that is a fact. No doubt about it, Root is class. I do not for one give a thought process to stand and start saying, ‘Joe Root, Joe Root, Joe Root.’ It’s only about how good he is. At the end of the day, where would we be without him? He walks in, misses out another night; well, he is again not missing tonight. And I know. Having been with Root for long enough, he is burning inside, and the fact that he has made only 60 will kill him completely. I doubt if the rest of the boys care that you went out for sixty,” he added.
304 was nowhere near enough as India hunted it down with five overs and four wickets to spare and took an unassailable 2-0 lead, with one more match to go.
Throughout the tour, England players spoke about how they want to be a team that entertains, the type of team that they feel people want to watch. Kept at it, and ask that: Fans do not care until the team wins.
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“…There is a comfort in this England team space that everything is going to be just fine,” he said. “And we will play a style of cricket that excites us. We are going to be a team that everybody is going to want to watch. But there comes a point when you must sit the lads down and say, ‘When you play for England, you have responsibilities and there should be an understanding that there are consequences for not winning. You must win games of cricket.’
“As an England player, now an England fan, and one who has spent several years in the England dressing room, I know all the fans want is victory. End of story. They do not care how you win, just win,” concluded Pietersen.
The last ODI is on February 12 at Ahmedabad.
