By IANS,
London : Explosive England batsman Kevin Pietersen has urged fellow-English cricketers to play in the Indian Premier League (IPL) in order to improve their performances in one-day cricket saying: “Have you seen the way they are playing in New Zealand?”
“I think the reason why India have gone through the roof is because of the Indian Premier League,” Pietersen told BBC Sport in comments published Friday – two days after opener Virender Sehwag hit a 74-ball 125 to pulverise the Kiwis in Hamilton.
“After missing out last year, there is no way we can get up there if we don’t play,” added Pietersen, who is among five players in the current England team to be contracted to the IPL.
The others are Andrew Flintoff, Paul Collingwood, Ravi Bopara and Owais Shah.
“India are taking one-day cricket to a different level,” the former England captain said.
“Have you seen the way they are playing in New Zealand? Then compare that to what we did out there last year – India are on a different level.
“It’s important for our players to learn how to hit fours and sixes. You can do that in Twenty20 cricket and you can practise it. You must practise it in order to play it.
“In the middle when you try to play like that you have to know you’ve practised it, and Twenty20 is a boundary fest. I’m afraid to say it, but they have taken the game to a new level because of the IPL and I think the players recognise that,” Pietersen said.