London, Jun 16: Miffed over Kevin Pietersen’s abrupt exit from all forms of one-day international cricket, England’s ODI skipper Alastair Cook has said that even though the world class batsman will be missed, the side will move on as a team.
Cook, who was not even consulted over Pietersen’s abrupt retirement from ODIs, said: “Clearly Kevin is a world-class player. He’s scored a lot of runs and has played some match-winning innings for England.
“We have won games before without Kevin Pietersen, against Pakistan in 2010 and against India, and it is time to move on now. Clearly when he’s in the form he is now he’ll be missed, but we’ll move on as a team.
“It came as a surprise because he was playing so well, but when he makes a decision there’s no turning back. Clearly those discussions have gone on with the ECB and (team coach) Andy Flower, and that’s probably where those discussions should have been. So, yes, it’s disappointing but we move on and replace him.”
In the long term, during the post-Pietersen era, England’s task would be to win a 50-over World Cup, The Daily Mirror reports.
The South Africa-born Pietersen quit all forms of the shorter version of the game for his adopted country this month, when he was told by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) the terms of his central contract would not allow him his wish of abandoning 50-over one-day matches while still playing Twenty20 internationals.
Pietersen had been settling well into the role of opener and ended his ODI career with back-to-back hundreds against Pakistan.
© ANI
