Former England captain David Gower has joined the list of critics who believe that controversial batsman Kevin Pietersen had allowed his ego to come before the needs of the team in England's 5-0 Ashes hammering by Australia.
Kevin Pietersen says the performance Indian batsmen, especially Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara, will be critical to the side's chances during its lengthy tour of England, come this summer.
The couple of wickets he took proved crucial in Rajasthan Royals' thumping win over Delhi Daredevils and leg-spinner Pravin Tambe said it feels good to come out trumps.
Dumped England batsman Kevin Pietersen has slammed his former team managers for allegedly allowing a culture of 'bullying' to develop and claimed coach Andy Flower and wicketkeeper Matt Prior were behind an orchestrated campaign to oust him.
'If England want to be the best in the world, they should move away from the fixation of just trying to beat Australia'
The fans in Bengaluru had a party time as it rained sixes and fours all evening at the M Chinnaswamy stadium.
Kevin Pietersen is set to be offered a full central contract by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) after team director Andy Flower was impressed by the right-hander's on and off-field behaviour and contribution in the historic Test series win in India.
Graeme Swann's criticism of Kevin Pietersen in his autobiography has not affected their friendship, insisted England coach Andy Flower but conceded that he would have wanted the off-spinner to wait till retirement before writing such a book.
'He had a decision to make and he made his decision and it turned out absolutely fine. England won the Ashes' 'They need to know they are being looked after a lot more so they don't think, 'oh, I'm not really making it in the Test arena, I'll go over to Twenty20'
England were 74/2 in the first innings in the day-night Test after winning the toss before crumbling to 112 all out.
England opening batsman Michael Carberry has criticised team management for leaving him in the dark about his playing future and questioned selectors over their decision to axe Kevin Pietersen, British media reported.
'I may have left Indian shores, but I am still thinking about a country that has showered me with lots of love and affection.'
Bolstered by the availability of Mahela Jayawardene and Kevin Pietersen, Delhi Daredevils captain Virender Sehwag is hoping to return to winning ways when they take on Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League in New Delhi on Tuesday.
Virat Kohli's India will take on Joe Root's England in a four Test series, starting February 5, to be played inside a bio-bubble in Chennai and Ahmedabad.
Kevin Pietersen's relationship with England coach Peter Moores was doomed from the very start as the skipper respects only South African coaches or those who have been world class players, claims his former county team Nottinghamshire's Director of Cricket Mick Newell.
'I can only advise the England batters to play with a straight bat.'
Former England off-spinner Graeme Swann, who made a shock decision to quit all forms of cricket on Sunday, denied his criticism of arrogant international players was aimed at his team mates.
The 40-year-old Pietersen said a win against India is similar to a victory against arch-rivals Australia and urged the selectors to play both Stuart Broad and James Anderson in the same XI.
Ashley Giles has indicated that their centrally contracted cricketers might not be available for the IPL
149 - Runs added by Kevin Pietersen and Andrew Flintoff, recording a highest fifth-wicket partnership at Mohali.
England skipper Andrew Strauss presented a straight bat to questions about batsman Kevin Pietersen's undiplomatic tweeting on Thursday, saying it was a good thing all his players were not as boring as their captain.
Australia captain Michael Clarke backed his players on Wednesday, stating that none of his teammates used silicone tapes on their bats to beat the controversial Decision Review System.
Left out of the England squad for the Test tour of India, star batsman Kevin Pietersen expressed disappointment at the snub and said he had gone to 'great lengths' to broker peace following the text message scandal that threatened his international career.
Former England team mate Graeme Swann began the backlash against Kevin Pietersen's new book on Monday by labelling it "the biggest work of fiction since Jules Verne".
Kevin Pietersen has not given up hope of a return to Test cricket and the chance to avenge the humiliating 5-0 defeat at the hands of Australia in the last Ashes series, the former England batsman said on Monday.
England have rested batsman Kevin Pietersen and bowling pair Graeme Swann and James Anderson from their limited-overs squads for the series in Australia starting next month.
England wicketkeeper batsman Matt Prior has reportedly pledged to respond to former international teammate Kevin Pietersen's claims that he was back-stabbing and a bad influence on the team.
Photos from the IPL match between Delhi Daredevils and Kings XI Punjab played on Sunday.
Lacklustre Delhi Daredevils will look to restore some respectability to their IPL campaign when they take on an in-form Kings XI Punjab in their final league match on Monday.
England batsman Kevin Pietersen was informed about his punishment for showing dissent during the third One-day international against India, in Ranchi, by match referee Andy Pycroft in the men's toilet of Ranchi airport.
Sri Lanka skipper Mahela Jayawardene and explosive England batsman Kevin Pietersen today joined their Indian Premier League team Delhi Daredevils after completing their national duties.
Check out the Sunrisers Hyderabad squad for the eighth edition of the Indian Premier League.
England batsman Kevin Pietersen was fined an undisclosed amount by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) on Wednesday for disparaging comments he made on Twitter about a television pundit.
England do not need distractions days before their crucial Test series against India but that could be just the case as controversial batsman Kevin Pietersen has rekindled the debate over the prevalence of South African-born cricketers in English cricket set-up.
Images from Day 1 of the 4th Test between India and England, at the VCA stadium, in Nagpur, on Thursday.
England's cricketers have been warned to mind their manners on Twitter after two players were fined for using obscenities on the social network site.
Exiled England batsman Kevin Pietersen believes his former teammates can win the World Cup if they play with freedom even though their dreadful record in the last five tournaments suggests otherwise.
Kevin Pietersen on Thursday described his swashbuckling unbeaten century as one of his favourite innings, which helped Delhi Daredevils register a five-wicket win over Deccan Chargers in the Indian Premier League at Ferozshah Kotla.
India were staring at an embarrassing defeat in the second cricket Test against a spirited England who rode on Kevin Pietersen and Alastair Cook's brilliant centuries to gain a vital 86-run lead before the spinners tightened the noose around the hosts in Mumbai on Sunday.
