Kevin Pietersen To Quit English Cricket After This Season

Former England cricketer Kevin Pietersen is all set to quit English cricket after the end of this season. The 36-year old will ply his trade for Surrey in the upcoming NatWest T20 Blast following which the South Africa-born cricketer will bid adieu to his cricket career in England.

But at the same time, the right-handed batsman said he still intends to carry on playing around the world but he will not be available for county cricket next summer as he will spend the time building a new house near Kruger National Park in order to become more involved in wildlife conservation programmes.

“I reckon this will be my last season playing in England. Next year I am building a house and the whole of the English summer I will be at my house in South Africa so I will not be back in England,” Pietersen said on Monday (June 19). “My conservation work is at the time when I should be playing here and that work is more important to me.

Earlier this year in March, the Ashes-winning star had announced he had signed up for a Surrey return two years after he last played for the county.

“I love Surrey. When they came to me with the offer of playing there instead of the Caribbean I was happy. Surrey have been so good to me. When I go back there training in a couple of weeks, it will be great. I can’t wait,” he added.

The England star further confirmed he will continue playing franchise cricket around the world. The flambuoyant batsman intends to complete his contract with Big Bash outfit Melbourne Stars which still has two years left on it. Pietersen is also set to play in South Africa’s upcoming Global T20 League. He was , on Monday (June 19), unveiled as one of eight ‘marquee’ overseas signings.

“I am still playing some of the best cricket of my career,” he said. “I am 36 and I am fitter than I even was when I was playing for England. As long as I am fit and enjoying batting I will play on.”

However, Pietersen made it clear that he would not play in the next season of the Indian Premier League because of his plans of building a new house in South Africa next summer. One of the first England players to play in the lucrative league, Pietersen said he intends to continue plying his trade as commentator in India.

Pietersen had pulled out of this year’s Indian Premier League auction but played in the tournament for Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2009 and 2010, Delhi Daredevils in 2012 and 2014, and Rising Pune Supergiant in 2016.

“I’m done playing (in the IPL), but I can commentate,” he said. “The reason why I commentate is I go for one week, come home for two weeks, then I come back for a week and home for two weeks. When you’re a player, you’re there the whole time, you’re everywhere. I can’t do that.”

The star batsman, who not played for England in the last three-and-a-half years after being exiled in early 2014, has made a name for himself playing franchise cricket across the world. Apart from India and Australia, he also played T20 cricket in South Africa and Pakistan.