In an attempt to save his international career, embattled England cricketer Kevin Pietersen is expected to travel the length and breadth of the country to personally meet his team-mates and tender his apology to them.
According to a report in ‘The Sun’ newspaper, Pietersen, who was axed from the England team in August on charges of sending provocative text messages to rival players during the Test series against South Africa, is due to talk face-to-face with team-mates such as Graeme Swann, James Anderson and Stuart Broad later this month.
“They won’t come to him - he will have to visit them,” the daily quoted an ECB source as saying. England team director Andy Flower will then decide whether the batsman should be added to the squad for the four-Test tour of India, the newspaper report added.
Pietersen finally received a lifeline when, after long negotiations, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) offered him a four-month fresh contract, but with a clause that he must undergo a “reintegration” period before returning to the team.
As per the daily’s report, the 32-year-old has agreed to fly home from the upcoming Champions League Twenty20 in South Africa.
Pietersen’s IPL franchise, Delhi Daredevils, open their campaign in CLT20 on October 13, followed by their next game on October 19th and the batsman plans to return between those matches to meet his England team-mates.
England will assemble in Dubai on October 25 for a training camp before flying to India for Test series, starting in Ahmedabad on November 15.