Pietersen rules out ODI captaincy
Friday, 22 June 2007
Kevin Pietersen has ruled himself out of the running to be England's one-day captain, saying the "time is not right" for him to accept the job, reports BBC.
He said: "It's something I've thought about long and hard but it's not the right time for me to do it. Now is the time for me to be doing team stuff - playing and supporting."
England will name their new one-day captain Friday, with all-rounder Paul Collingwood now clear favourite to take over from Michael Vaughan.
Pietersen is ranked the number one batsman in the world in one-day internationals.
The Hampshire captain was considered by some pundits as the more progressive choice of captain after Vaughan resigned from the role Monday.
But the 26-year-old, the choice of both Darren Gough and Geoffrey Boycott, said: "At this stage of my career, I've only played 50-odd one-day internationals and 20 or 30 Tests. I would be humbled in future to be given the opportunity to captain my country but not now.''
"Whoever does get the job will get my full support. It's a new era, with new coaching staff and a good time for England cricket to go forward", he said.
Asked at a Vodafone event if he had spoken to England's selectors about the captaincy, he said: "It's something that's been mentioned, but I've pretty much answered it."
He said he hoped the one-day game would assume more significance within English cricket after 15 years of failure.
"We haven't won too many one-day trophies and the one-day game has been neglected. It's been Test match, Test match, Test match. It's very important that everyone buys into winning and it's going to be a heck of a job", he said.
He said: "It's something I've thought about long and hard but it's not the right time for me to do it. Now is the time for me to be doing team stuff - playing and supporting."
England will name their new one-day captain Friday, with all-rounder Paul Collingwood now clear favourite to take over from Michael Vaughan.
Pietersen is ranked the number one batsman in the world in one-day internationals.
The Hampshire captain was considered by some pundits as the more progressive choice of captain after Vaughan resigned from the role Monday.
But the 26-year-old, the choice of both Darren Gough and Geoffrey Boycott, said: "At this stage of my career, I've only played 50-odd one-day internationals and 20 or 30 Tests. I would be humbled in future to be given the opportunity to captain my country but not now.''
"Whoever does get the job will get my full support. It's a new era, with new coaching staff and a good time for England cricket to go forward", he said.
Asked at a Vodafone event if he had spoken to England's selectors about the captaincy, he said: "It's something that's been mentioned, but I've pretty much answered it."
He said he hoped the one-day game would assume more significance within English cricket after 15 years of failure.
"We haven't won too many one-day trophies and the one-day game has been neglected. It's been Test match, Test match, Test match. It's very important that everyone buys into winning and it's going to be a heck of a job", he said.