Pietersen: Strauss was right to drop me

Speaking a month after England regained the Ashes, Pietersen said: “Absolutely, it seems to be the right decision at the moment”.

Though Pietersen refuses to admit that his book, published in October 2014, led to him being marginalised by the European Central Bank, he concedes that given the Ashes result Strauss made the correct decision in overlooking him for selection.

The controversial South African-born batsman, talking to 200 delegates at a Sports Industry Breakfast Club assembly on Thursday, was requested if his former captain Strauss made the right transfer in leaving him out.

Pietersen was sacked by England final yr following quite a few incidents that culminated within the 5-0 Ashes defeat in Australia throughout which he was accused of being disengaged from the group.

The 35-year-old’s future appears to be purely Twenty20 based with next year’s inaugural Pakistan Super League his latest undertaking, and Pietersen insists he has reconciled himself with the suggestion that a reintegration to Test cricket looks a bleak prospect. I’m not sitting right here worrying about what has occurred. Seeing those guys play so well and just seeing the structure and the way it has developed makes me so happy. I have to live my life.

“At the time I thought it was ridiculous, it was nonsense to leave me out. He’s done OK. Some of the stuff he has done with the England team and with getting past players back in the dressing room is brilliant”.

Under Trevor Bayliss, who replaced Peter Moores after a woeful World Cup campaign, England won a fourth-consecutive home Ashes – something their record run-scorer across all formats was happy to enjoy as a spectator.

In the 10 games he played for the St Lucia Zouks in the 2015 Caribbean Premier League, Pietersen managed to score 295 runs at an average of 32.77 with two fifties to his name.

“Twenty20 cricket is here to stay, the game brings in a whole different audience to the sport, but I love Test cricket”, he said.

“I think Test cricketers need to be paid more”.

Pietersen, though, still sees the five-day game as the pinnacle of cricket and a format that must be both protected and enhanced.”It is an wonderful part of what we do and I think it’s the best part of what we do – it’s the thing I miss most about the game”, Pietersen said. “As course I’d love to play test cricket because test cricket is where you get tested”.