Saturday 29 September 2018 09:58, UK
Former England batsman Kevin Pietersen thinks Joe Root's squad need two new openers for their winter Tests.
Long-time opener Alastair Cook has retired from internationals after ending his long and distinguished career with a century, and Pietersen thinks Keaton Jennings should be jettisoned after his struggles against India.
England have a tour to Sri Lanka coming up and will play three Tests in November after the limited overs matches.
Jennings is not certain to retain his place at the top of the Test line-up, after he failed to register a half-century during the India series.
Pietersen told talkSPORT: "Jennings can't bat, I'm sorry. They are going to have to find somebody else.
"Cook is a big loss. I know he has been wishy-washy over the last couple of months but he finished on a fairy tale ending, which is brilliant for him.
"But to replace that kind of guy at the top of the order, it is going to be difficult.
"I just don't see county cricket producing Test cricketers at the moment. The issue is deep-rooted.
"All the best players in the world now are not playing county cricket, they are earning their cash in franchise cricket.
"Therefore, the standard of county cricket isn't great, the standard of county batsmen is poor."
Surrey clinched the county championship on Thursday and Pietersen, who used to play for the county, thinks they may have the players to solve England's top order issues.
"It is brilliant that Rory Burns is predicted to go on the tour of Sri Lanka," he added. "That is going to be wonderful.
"And I like Jason Roy. He has got oomph, he has got guts, he has got runs at the top of the order in Australia.
"He scored that brilliant 180 at the MCG (in a one-day international earlier this year).
"It is about how guys score their runs and what their personalities are like.
"I would be all for Roy at the top of the order with Rory Burns."
