Ben Stokes’ retirement has raised a debate on whether too much cricket is being played currently. Speaking on the issue, former England cricket captain Kevin Pietersen took a dig at the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB).
“I once said the schedule was horrendous and I couldn’t cope, so I retired from ODI cricket & the ECB banned me from T20s too…………” Pietersen wrote in a tweet.
Pietersen had a hot-and-cold relationship with the ECB. Despite being a top batter, he often had run-ins with the cricket board. Pietersen played 104 Tests, 136 ODIs and 37 T20Is for England scoring 8181, 4440, 1176 runs in the three formats respectively. He also played for several IPL franchises.
Unhappy over Stokes’ early retirement from the format, another former England captain Michael Vaughan pointed out that both bilateral series and franchise cricket cannot go hand in hand.
“Bi lateral ODI / T20 series will have to go if all the boards around the world are desperate for there own Franchise tournaments !! Something has to give .. It shouldn’t be players retiring from one format aged 31 !!!!” said Vaughan in a tweet on Monday.
