Pietersen fires up his feud with Cook

KEVIN Pietersen reignited his long-running feud with Sir Alastair Cook over his former England teammate’s criticisms of Jacob Bethell being at the Indian Premier League.

- By DAVID CHARLESWORTH

Kevin Pietersen, right, with Alastair Cook in 2011

Bethell has been unused by Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Cook urged the youngster to return to Warwickshire to play county cricket instead of ‘sitting on his a**e at the IPL not doing anything’

Pietersen, who was banished from the England setup when Cook was captain after the 2013-14 Ashes, argued the former left-handed opener’s lack of IPL experience renders his judgement irrelevant.

“Alastair Cook has absolutely no idea what it’s like to be in the IPL,” Pietersen wrote on X. “What it's like to always be around the best players in the world.

“So his opinion on Jacob Bethell doesn’t matter at all. Stay in India, Jacob. I know, even though you're not playing, you're learning and will be a way better player.”