Critics say Pietersen’s six to eight weeks on the sidelines could have been prevented if he had been left out of the current Test series.
England captain Alastair Cook has been forced to defend his decision to play Kevin Pietersen in the first two Tests against New Zealand, despite the batsman complaining of pain in his knee during the tour warm-up.
It was announced on Wednesday that Pietersen would miss up to eight weeks of cricket playing time, putting him out of the deciding Test against the Black Caps on Friday and the 2013 IPL season.
However it’s said this outcome could have been prevented after the 32-year-old was already complaining to England’s medical staff about discomfort in his right knee, during a pre-Test warm-up match at University Oval.
Yet Cook and his side’s management took the decision to play Pietersen in the first two Tests in New Zealand, despite the batsman having to leave the field of play in both matches to be treated.
“It was done on a game by game basis. Before every game… you do what you do with every player and assess them before every game,” Cook said on IBN Live.
“Clearly he felt, and we felt, that he could get through those two games.”
However there were concerns over Pietersen’s fitness before both Tests, particularly before the second match at Wellington where England coach Andy Flower came out saying it was an injury all players have to play through.
It now seems that the coach and captain for the English side may have misjudged the extent of Pietersen’s injury and they could now miss the South African-born batsman for the returning series against New Zealand, back in England in May.
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