“I once said the schedule was horrendous”: Kevin Pietersen criticises ECB over jam-packed scheduling post Ben Stokes ODI retirement

Kevin Pietersen criticises ECB for its intense, grueling schedule which led Ben Stokes take the difficult decision to retire from the ODIs.

“We’re not cars where you can fill us up with petrol. It does all add up, it does have an effect on you. The schedule is jam-packed and you’re asking a lot of the players to keep putting in 100% of their efforts every time you walk onto the field for your country,” remarked Ben Stokes on Tuesday, ahead of England’s ongoing first ODI versus South Africa at his home ground in Durham, which is set to be his last ODI ever.

A schedule cramped up with matches across formats with very little breathing space and recovery time, prompted the England Test captain, at the age of 31, to bid adieu to the 50-Over format of the game.

The decision also comes after 2023-2027 ICC Future Tours Programme had drafted a total of 138 bilateral fixtures for England men’s Cricket on Monday.

Kevin Pietersen criticises ECB

Former England skipper Kevin Pietersen has, post Stokes decision to retire on Monday, taken a jibe at the ECB over its intensity of international scheduling.

It is worth of a mention that the former flamboyant batter, akin Stokes, had decided to retire from ODI cricket in 2012 at the age of 31 as well. At the prime of his career ten years ago, Pietersen had also cited ECB’s jam-packed scheduling as the reason for him arriving at the decision.

Also, as per ECB’s central contract back then, Pietersen was ruled out of selection for T20Is as well, with the World Cup in Sri Lanka scheduled to commence just four months after.

Fortunately for Stokes, he is not currently bound to adhere to any such terms of the contract (which now cease to exist), with the upcoming T20 World Cup in Australia mere three months away.