Former England batsman Kevin Pietersen says he still harbours dreams of turning out for his country despite being controversially axed from the national team. The 34-year-old had his central contract terminated by the England and Wales Cricket Board following the 5-0 Ashes defeat by Australia, with the governing body saying captain Alastair Cook needed to be able to trust and rely on the backing of all his players. South Africa-born Pietersen, who played 104 tests for England, was at Lord’s on Friday to prepare for a match between a Rest of the World side and the MCC as part of the latter’s bicentenary celebrations. “My space reserved in the Lord’s dressing room. Clothes ready! So excited about tomorrow,” he said on his official Twitter feed. “I didn’t think I’d have this opportunity to play in front of a full house at Lord’s again. I still do hope that things change and I play for England here again. Time will tell” A colourful character often at odds with team mates and management, despite his undoubted talent at the crease, Pietersen said last month that he had come to terms with the fact his international career was over, having scored 8,181 test runs. He is still playing Twenty20 cricket for English county Surrey and in the Indian Premier League. Source; The Indian Express
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