Kevin Pietersen expressed strong criticism of the England cricket team following their 0-3 defeat in the ODI series against India prior to the Champions Trophy. He accused the Jos Buttler-led squad of showing a lack of respect towards the host nation. Pietersen's remarks were prompted by a report indicating that the England players had missed training sessions during their tour due to injury issues.

Ravi Shastri, the former head coach of India, was the first to highlight during commentary on Wednesday's third match in Ahmedabad that the England team had only participated in a single net session throughout the entire ODI series, which resulted in their comprehensive defeat.

After England's loss by 142 runs, Pietersen addressed the broadcasters, criticizing the players for their apparent lack of dedication. He further condemned Buttler and his teammates for choosing to play golf instead of focusing on practice for the matches.

"I am disheartened to say that you show such disregard for Indian conditions and the country itself. As an Englishman, I find this absolutely disappointing," he stated.

'You won’t fool the fan with such!'

In response to the widespread discussion surrounding the issue, Pietersen took to social media to share that he had received an article from an English journalist, which suggested that the players had only missed net sessions due to injuries and the quick succession of matches.

The former England batsman denounced the article as "nonsense" and accused the media of being "dishonest."

He stated: "I recently came across an article in which a prominent UK journalist claimed that Shastri and I were mistaken in our discussion last night regarding England's lack of training. The reasoning provided was injuries and the quick turnaround between matches. This is utterly ridiculous! If you are going to write about cricket, please refrain from spreading such nonsense. Injuries are an inherent aspect of sports, and this schedule resembles nearly every bilateral series ever conducted. Injuries do not prevent batters from practicing against net bowlers and honing their skills in playing spin. That is precisely where they should have focused their efforts to enhance their performance! I can attest to this, as it was crucial for my own career in dealing with spin! It appears that journalists are colluding with the narrative we are being led to accept. Such tactics will not deceive the fans!"

Despite the criticism directed at the England players by Pietersen, he expressed hope for a positive outcome in the Champions Trophy.

"Regardless, I sincerely hope that England can activate the necessary momentum to secure victory in the Champions Trophy in the coming weeks. I genuinely wish for their success because I have great admiration for the players, who possess immense talent," he concluded.

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