Kevin Pietersen says no room for improvement reason behind his retirement

Pietersen is 5th highest Test runs scorer for England cricket team.

Kevin Pietersen | GETTY

Kevin Pietersen said goodbye to competitive cricket after playing in the Pakistan Super League 2018 at UAE. The former England cricketer revealed that there was no more desire of improving himself left in him, and retiring was the only thing left for him. 

"I've had enough," Pietersen said on ITV's Good Morning Britain. "Twenty overs of fielding feels like playing a Test match so it's time to hang up the boots. I've got better and bigger things to go on to now.

"I've had a wonderful career but I just don't think I've got it in me to keep improving or try to improve."

Pietersen, who had a glorius career with 23 centuries in 104 Test matches, was sacked from England cricket team after the 2-13-14 Ashes drubbing in Australia.

The 37-year-old insisted he had no regrets. "Being a South African in an English dressing room is occasionally frowned upon but I felt incredibly accepted and I loved my career.

"I didn't mind pressing buttons to try and achieve really good things and to get the best out of people I had to press buttons they didn't like. Unfortunately or fortunately that's my character. I strive to be the best I can possibly be and help others be the best they can be and sometimes I rubbed them up the wrong way, I said things they were uncomfortable with. It is what it is. I had a pretty cool time doing my job and it really is one of the greatest things calling yourself a professional sportsman," he said. 

The South Africa born, who played last for England in 2014, says the exile from English team turned him on to animal conservation. His Instagram post also hinted that he will continue his fight to save the rhino. Pietersen had donated all his earnings from NatWest T20 2017 towards rhino conservation efforts.

"I think I can do something better now than scoring runs for England," he said. "There's a huge issue in the world with trophy hunting...The England issue, yes, that was horrendous for a while but it allowed me to go back to Africa and rekindle my youth, rekindle my love affair with animals...

"It was a horrible time, of course, it was. But it's water under the bridge, it's time to move on and I don't look back. I played 100 Test matches for England. If you'd asked me if I would even play first-class cricket or play at Lord's I would have said, 'Shut up'.

"For me, it was the most incredible experience, a lucky experience, but now I've got a second chapter which is a lot more important than hitting a cricket ball."

 
 

By Sihyeu Singh - 20 Mar, 2018

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