Kevin Pietersen first threatened to resign as England captain in India before Christmas, England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) vice-chairman Dennis Amiss has said.
Kevin Pietersen first threatened to resign as England captain in India before Christmas, England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) vice-chairman Dennis Amiss has said.
The South African-born batsman quit last week after just three Tests in charge, claiming he couldn't work alongside coach Peter Moores who was sacked as a result of the row.
Amiss told BBC Radio Five here Sunday that Pietersen had initially offered his resignation as captain after last month's drawn second Test against India in Mohali, a result which meant England lost the two-match series 1-0.
"He mentioned resigning the captaincy in our discussions with him but we wanted him to go away and think about it while he was in South Africa (on holiday)," ex-England batsman Amiss said.
"We said, "Go away and think about it and we will resolve the situation as quickly as we can'."
Pietersen, 28, told the News of the World on Sunday that several England players, including new skipper Andrew Strauss and ex-captain Andrew Flintoff, had urged him not to resign the captaincy while on tour in India. "I confided in Andrew Flintoff and Steve Harmison, as well as two other senior players, Andrew Strauss and Paul Collingwood, about my meetings with the management over the coach," Pietersen said.
"They all, I promise you categorically, said to me: "Do not leave as England captain'."
Since losing the captaincy, star batsman Pietersen had repeatedly stressed his commitment to England and promised to support Strauss fully on the upcoming tour of the West Indies for which the squad departs on January 21. However, he made no secret of the fact his relationship with Moores had wholly broken down. I feel it is right for me to go back and just play to do something that I love, which is scoring runs for England,' Pietersen said.
"I'm not angry. I'm just hurt, disappointed and upset that a childhood dream has been taken away from me."u00a0
