Kevin Pietersen has left England’s rejuvenated World Cup campaign despite “very clear” medical advice that he would not suffer long-term injury by playing through his hernia problem.
The batsman had been expected to “bite the bullet” and continue with the help of painkillers, but will be replaced by Eoin Morgan after telling management that discomfort means he can no longer perform.
Yesterday England said that the injury, which first surfaced during the one-day series in Australia in January and February, would be managed through the remainder of the tournament. Andy Flower acknowledged that the latest development may fuel speculation that Pietersen intends to retire from the 50-over format, although the team director added: “He has told me he wants to carry on playing one-day international cricket and I will take him at his word.”
Pietersen was due to leave last night after the rest of the squad flew from Chennai to Chittagong before the game against Bangladesh on Friday. Morgan, who was forced out of the initial 15-man squad because of a broken left middle finger, should arrive today and will be in contention immediately.
It means, bizarrely, that a player the medical team thought would be fit for the duration is being replaced by somebody they initially ruled out. The tale will take another twist if Ravi Bopara — the locum for Morgan — now moves up the order to fill Pietersen’s opening slot.
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Pietersen, 30, said in a Twitter post that he was “absolutely devastated” to be missing the last four weeks of the World Cup as well as the Indian Premier League, which will cost him $650,000 (about £400,000) in lost wages from Deccan Chargers. He is expected to have surgery next week and return for England in the Test series against Sri Lanka in May.
“The very clear medical advice was that Kevin was not going to tear or damage it permanently by playing on,” Flower said. “We hoped he would get through the tournament OK, take painkillers when needed and bite the bullet. Unfortunately, he says he cannot go on like that, so it is a simple decision to replace him.”
Asked whether Pietersen could have been braver and continued to play, Flower said: “I empathise with anyone who has a serious injury. You never know exactly what they’re feeling, so you’ve got to listen to what they are saying. I have seen the scan myself, it is very obvious he has a problem and he needs to sort it out. The timing is not ideal because we are in the middle of the World Cup.”
Pietersen has long since fallen from the upper echelons of the ICC batting rankings in one-day cricket, but made a series of starts in his new role as an opener with scores of 39, 31 and 59 before being dismissed third ball in the six-run win over South Africa on Sunday.
He has not cut a particularly happy figure on the sub-continent and in the past has made little secret that he misses his wife and ten-month-old son while he is playing abroad. He wanted the wives and girlfriends to be able to spend longer in Australia before Christmas.
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Although sudden and untimely, the switch may not necessarily be bad for England. Morgan emerged as their most adaptable limited-overs batsman last year and, despite poor returns in the 6-1 series loss to Australia, he will strengthen the middle order if he can find his full range of shots so soon after his injury.
It may have been significant that Flower described Morgan as “a pretty no-nonsense guy” as well as a very skilful player. “We will get him straight in the nets, he is 100 per cent fit,” Flower said. “His contribution to England’s limited-overs wins has been significant, especially since he has batted No 5 for us.”
Morgan broke the finger in the fourth one-day game against Australia in January, but played in the next two matches before an X-ray revealed a crack. The first diagnosis suggested that he would need an operation, persuading England to alter their squad. A week later, however, the medical view was reversed and the digit has healed naturally. “He has full flexibility in the joint, he can make a fist and hold a bat,” Flower said. “There is no pain.”
Keeping an open mind
There appear to be three candidates to fill Kevin Pietersen’s opening slot:
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Ravi Bopara
For: Eoin Morgan is best at No 5, Bopara’s place against South Africa.
Against: Bopara has been shuffled around the order enough as it is.
Matt Prior
For: The most experienced of the contenders in the role and yet to impress as a “finisher”.
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Against: His average as an England opener is only 24.2 from 32 innings.
Ian Bell
For: Strokemaker with the class to penetrate gaps in the first powerplay.
Against: Why move him when he is going nicely at No 4?
Words by Richard Hobson