Kevin Pietersen has hit out at the "horrendous" bullying by some of his former England team-mates and accused former coach Andy Flower of "ruling by fear". Despite being England's all-time leading run-scorer across all formats, the South Africa-born batsman was sensationally axed after the team's 2013/14 5-0 Ashes thrashing in Australia.
The England and Wales Cricket Board then gave several convoluted explanations as to why the former captain had been discarded, citing the need to "support" current skipper Alastair Cook as a central reason.
In an interview published on Monday's edition of the Daily Telegraph, to promote an autobiography due to be published on Thursday, Pietersen said he still did not understand why he was effectively sacked. He added that Cook had been put in an "incredibly difficult position" by ECB, following his banishment from the team.
Despite everything, Pietersen -- who has scored over 8,000 runs in 104 Tests, including 23 hundreds at an average of nearly 48, insisted he had not given up hope of representing England again even though he played no County Championship cricket for Surrey last season.
Pietersen, 34, added he'd been shocked by the way senior bowlers Graeme Swann, Stuart Broad and James Anderson as well as currently injured wicketkeeper Matt Prior abused fielders for dropping catches.
"The thing that horrified me was when Andy Flower and Andrew Strauss said: 'Guys we've got to stop this, it's not right for the team, there are guys that have come to (us) that are intimidated to field the ball.' And (the bowlers) had the audacity to stand there and say: 'No, if they f**k up we deserve an apology.' It's the most angry I ever got in that dressing room.
"I thought, 'I reckon I could hit these guys. Who do you think you are, to ask for an apology from someone who's trying his heart out? Are you perfect, are you never going to drop a catch? Are you never going to bowl a wide?' But the double standard for me was the bigger thing. If one of them messed up -- if Jimmy messed up, or Swanny - nothing was ever said. Prior left them alone.
"He never left alone (Nick) Compton or Ravi (Bopara) or Trotty (Jonathan Trott).I went after Prior and said he shouldn't be in that side because he's a bad influence, a negative influence -- he picks on players. He's back-stabbing, he's horrendous, he's bad for the environment," he added.
The England and Wales Cricket Board then gave several convoluted explanations as to why the former captain had been discarded, citing the need to "support" current skipper Alastair Cook as a central reason.
In an interview published on Monday's edition of the Daily Telegraph, to promote an autobiography due to be published on Thursday, Pietersen said he still did not understand why he was effectively sacked. He added that Cook had been put in an "incredibly difficult position" by ECB, following his banishment from the team.
Despite everything, Pietersen -- who has scored over 8,000 runs in 104 Tests, including 23 hundreds at an average of nearly 48, insisted he had not given up hope of representing England again even though he played no County Championship cricket for Surrey last season.
Pietersen, 34, added he'd been shocked by the way senior bowlers Graeme Swann, Stuart Broad and James Anderson as well as currently injured wicketkeeper Matt Prior abused fielders for dropping catches.
"The thing that horrified me was when Andy Flower and Andrew Strauss said: 'Guys we've got to stop this, it's not right for the team, there are guys that have come to (us) that are intimidated to field the ball.' And (the bowlers) had the audacity to stand there and say: 'No, if they f**k up we deserve an apology.' It's the most angry I ever got in that dressing room.
"I thought, 'I reckon I could hit these guys. Who do you think you are, to ask for an apology from someone who's trying his heart out? Are you perfect, are you never going to drop a catch? Are you never going to bowl a wide?' But the double standard for me was the bigger thing. If one of them messed up -- if Jimmy messed up, or Swanny - nothing was ever said. Prior left them alone.
"He never left alone (Nick) Compton or Ravi (Bopara) or Trotty (Jonathan Trott).I went after Prior and said he shouldn't be in that side because he's a bad influence, a negative influence -- he picks on players. He's back-stabbing, he's horrendous, he's bad for the environment," he added.
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