Melbourne, November 22: It may be a strategic or genuine assessment, but Shane Warne has sent a shock to the England camp by saying that the visitors have not treated star batsmen Kevin Pietersen
properly.
Warne, one of the greatest spinner of all time, said Pietersen have been treated in an ”ordinary” fashion and made to feel like ”an outcast” and feels it is no wonder England’s biggest batting star KP has been in a run drought.
The South African-born right-handed batsman Pietersen, whom Warne puts at par with Sachin Tendulkar in terms of batting talent, enters the Ashes opener without a Test century in 20 months and has only one 50 in his three tour matches.
”KP’s lean trot has a lot to do with the way he has been treated by England. He was forced out as captain (in January 2009) and sacked from the one-day side earlier this year,” Warne was quoted as saying by ‘The Daily Telegraph’.
”The way they have treated him is ordinary and he has been made to feel as if he is a bit of an outcast.
”KP might be ‘the walking ego’ with the way he struts around, and sometimes he is unpopular with his own teammates and can rub people up the wrong way.
”But he has to be made to feel important and like he is the man. If he feels like that, he will give you everything,” he added.
——–UNI