New Delhi: Axed from England's set-up earlier this year, Kevin Pietersen today said he will not use the upcoming Indian Premier League to “prove anything” to his detractors.
A little more than two months after being dropped from England's international set-up, Pietersen said he has already accepted the harsh reality that he won't be playing for his country again and was trying to move on in life.
“The break away from cricket has been fantastic and I'm really looking forward to playing in the IPL. What transpired in March has nothing to do with what I'm about to do now. I'm not out here to make any point and neither do I play cricket for that reason,” he said at a media interaction here.
“I find the opportunity of again playing in the IPL really nice especially because I missed the last season due to injury and also due to the fact that I absolutely love the competition. I've played in every part of the world and after playing for almost a decade, I don't think I need to prove anything to anyone,” added Pietersen, who will lead Delhi Daredevils in the seventh season of IPL.
The 33-year-old all-rounder, who is Delhi's second costliest purchase (USD 1.5 million) after his deputy Dinesh Karthik (USD 2.08 million), is confident of a good showing by his team.
“We're bringing together a talented side. It comprises a good blend of experience and youth - all international, Indian and domestic players. The most important task is to make everyone feel like it's their own team,” Pietersen said.
“According to me, the key to success this time around would be to make sure that the management, the captain and the coach understands each player and let every single individual be themselves. Also, the idea will be to train well in whatever way we can and try to perform to the best of our abilities.”
