Former England captain Kevin Pietersen has revealed that his long-running dispute with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) over his participation in the Indian Premier League (IPL) played a decisive role in cutting short his international career.
In a podcast with Ranveer Allahbadia, Pietersen said what stance he tookfavoring franchise cricket at a time when it was frowned upon came at a personal cost but ultimately helped pave the way for future players to balance international commitments with the lucrative T20 leagues.
“I made big sacrifices, I lost my career because of it,” Pietersen said when asked if he was responsible for allowing England players to play in the IPL. “100%, that’s the only reason why everyone in the company went against me.
WHAT WAS THE PIETERSEN-ECB BREAKOUT?
In 2009, during the second season of the IPL, England allowed their contracted players to participate in franchise cricket for a limited period of three weeks. The ECB has previously banned its centrally contracted players from participating in the tournament during the inaugural season.
The South African born English batsman joined Royal Challengers Bengaluru in 2009, he prioritized the league over his national duties. He was already reeling from an argument with then-coach Peter Moores, which eventually spread to the ECB. From there, complications continued to mount for Pietersen and his England career.
“I was 33 when my England career ended, after 104 Test matches. I should have played 150-160 Tests and scored 12,000-13,000 runs. That’s what I should have achieved,” he said. Pietersen finished his Test career with 8,181 runs at an average of 47.3, including 35 half-centuries and 23 centuries.
A battle with the plate for one of England’s most prolific batsmen today became a much publicized flashpoint in cricket. “The ECB used The Telegraph to go after me… I don’t want to go too deep into it. It was well publicized and I now live a very happy, peaceful life,” he continued.
Pietersen went on to play for Delhi Daredevils and Rising Pune Supergiant in the IPL. He was also recently appointed as the Delhi Capitals mentor for the 2025 season.
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Published on:
07 Apr 2026 14:47 IST
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