adminBRISBANE. — England batsman Kevin Pietersen says he wants to play for his country until at least the 2015-16 cricket tour of South Africa.
Pietersen (33) will play his 100th Test in the Ashes opener against Australia, starting on Thursday in Brisbane. A recurring knee injury had prompted speculation that he might retire at the end of the series, but he has set his sights on the 2015 World Cup, another home Ashes campaign, and beyond.
“As long as the body goes well, I’m good for it,” Pietersen said.
Pietersen made his international debut in 2004, has starred in four Ashes series victories and helped England win the World Twenty20 in 2010.
He is England’s leading run-scorer across all international formats with 13 503, but still has two goals he wants to fulfil.
“I had coffee with (England one-day coach) Ashley Giles and said to him — I want to be with you in 2015.
“I’ve been so lucky to have done everything with this great side. We won the Twenty20 World Cup, have beaten Australia home and away and beaten India in India.
“The only thing that hasn’t been ticked is beating everybody in a World Cup 50-over tournament.
“I would love to be given that opportunity and I’m committed to Ashley and the England side to get there.
“Also, I haven’t got home and away hundreds against every side — South Africa is the one I haven’t got away from home — that is in 2015-16 so as long as the body goes well I’m good for it.” Pietersen’s road to the 100 cap mark has been anything but smooth.
A short spell as captain ended in January 2009 following a rift with then coach Peter Moores, and in 2012 he was dropped from the side for sending text messages to South Africa players during a Test series between the sides.
Reflecting on his career with BBC Cricket Correspondent Jonathan Agnew, Pietersen admitted he had learnt from his errors.
“Clearly you grow up and you definitely look back on things and think I would have done things differently,” he said.
“I’ve learned from my mistakes in all walks of life, whether it is relationships, friendships, business — when you go through the bad stuff that is when you learn a lot more about yourself and about situations.
“When I’ve bumped my head I’ve learned. I wouldn’t be sitting here on the eve of my 100th Test if I hadn’t learnt and got things right. Where I am in my career right now, I’m incredibly happy.” Pietersen says his South African background made him a target during an ill-fated spell at Nottinghamshire between 2000 and 2004 at the start of his career in England.
“When I got to Nottingham one of the first songs I heard in the dressing-room was ‘I’ve never met a nice South African’. I heard it day in day out. — BBC Sport.
Online Reporter