Cricket
KP ruled out of Test decider
2013-03-20 12:17
London - England batsman Kevin Pietersen will
miss the last Test against New Zealand and the Indian Premier League
due to a knee injury which may sideline him for up to eight weeks,
officials said on Wednesday.
"The injury is likely to require ongoing
assessments and a likely 6-8 week period of rest and rehabilitation,"
the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said in a statement, two days
before the start of the series-deciding game.
The ECB said the
32-year-old suffered pain in his right knee while fielding earlier this
month in preparation for a warm-up game in New Zealand, before the Test
series began.
"This has failed to resolve satisfactorily," it said.
Recent
scans confirmed bone bruising and possible cartilage damage to the
kneecap, and Pietersen would return to Britain "for further
investigations and specialist review".
He had been withdrawn from all cricket including the Indian Premier League, it said.
New
Zealand will eye a rare series win and England will try to cement their
position as the number-two Test nation in the third and final Test
starting Friday in Auckland, following rain-affected draws in the first
two games.
Pietersen made 0 and 12 in the first Test at Dunedin but came back with 73 in Wellington.
The
estimated recovery period makes him a doubtful starter for the return
series in England against New Zealand beginning on May 16.
England
will be hoping that Pietersen, who in 2009 was forced out of the Ashes
with an Achilles injury, will be fit in time for this summer's Champions
Trophy and Ashes series.
Pietersen returned to the England fold last October.
The
Surrey batsman was cast into international exile last August after
sending text messages to touring South African players that contained
criticism of then-England captain Andrew Strauss during the Test series.