Nasser Hussain says Kevin Pietersen's comments will not bother Eoin Morgan ahead of the World Cup
Kevin Pietersen says England's new one-day captain wants him involved
Wednesday 14 January 2015 07:06, UK
Nasser Hussain says England one-day captain, Eoin Morgan, won’t be troubled by Kevin Pietersen’s latest comments that he wants him in his World Cup squad.
During a commentary stint during the Big Bash game between Melbourne Rengades and Brisbane Heat, Pietersen said that the newly-appointed captain ‘would love’ to have him in the team.
“I don’t think Morgan will lose any sleep over that to be honest,” said Hussain. “The only thing he’ll have to do now is deal with the Australian press who will go at him with this stuff when he just wants to be focusing on his team.
“He doesn’t want to be answering even more questions about Kevin Pietersen.”
Pietersen, sacked by England following their Ashes whitewash at the hands of Australia last winter, wants to add to his 104 Test and 136 ODI caps.
But Hussain thinks that easy to say once you’re no longer part of the set-up.
“It’s not until something is taken away from you that you realise how important it is and how much you want it,” he said. “An England shirt has been taken away from Kevin and now he’s starting to think about how much he really wants to be in that World Cup.
“For a long time he didn’t want to be in the one-day side, he wanted to be off playing in the IPL and was looking for ways out.
“Now he’s starting to realise what a massive tournament, starting in a month, he’s going to be missing out on.”
Michael Atherton added that he doesn’t think there is a way back for Pietersen despite his comments, and regardless of what Morgan may or may not have said to him.
“Too much has happened,” said Atherton. “This is an old story, I don’t know how much more we can get out of it.
“I think England handled the decision to sack Pietersen appallingly. I said so at the time and I’m sure they would reflect on it similarly now.
“But they have moved on. That boat has long left the harbour and so as much as we can talk about it, Pietersen can talk about it, it isn’t going to happen.”
