KP wont be rushed into England return
KEVIN PIETERSEN touched down in South Africa to join the England squad yesterday – but warned he will not be rushed into a comeback.
The Hampshire batsman has spent three months recovering from an Achilles tendon injury, but is now back to full fitness and ready to return against his native country.
Pietersen flew into Johannesburg yesterday and headed straight for an hour-long net session at the Wanderers, where, sporting custom-made padded trainers, he faced up to several net bowlers, ran between the wickets and even rehearsed his now infamous switch-hit shot.
But while Pietersen’s form offered plenty of encouragement to the watching England coaches, the 29-year-old insists he is not yet ready to make a return to action. “The fitness is not too bad,” he said. “I’m feeling good, I’m feeling fresh mentally.
“I had a bad day on my Achilles yesterday, but I think that was just purely down to the flight. I’ve woken up feeling really good today. I’m certainly not going to rush things, I tried that a while back. I got an infection in the wound. Now just to be back in an England tracksuit is great.”
England lock horns with the Proteas for the first of two Twenty20 internationals tomorrow.