Blow for English Ashes hopes as Pietersen out

ENGLAND’S quest to regain the Ashes will have to be completed without Kevin Pietersen after he was forced into undergoing surgery on his chronic achilles injury.

Pietersen, 29, had the operation yesterday after being examined by a specialist and has been ruled out of action until September.

Although he featured in both the drawn opening match in Cardiff and the 115-run England win at Lord’s, soreness in the tendon and related pain in the lower back hampered his performances.

The problem first surfaced as long ago as the winter tour of the Caribbean and a recurrence forced him onto the sidelines for the home one-day series against West Indies.

Although he returned for the World Twenty20 in June, he was forced to take painkilling injections to maintain his bid to feature in the Ashes.

Expert opinion, however, brought his dream of replicating his 2005 Ashes feats crashing down.

“As an England cricketer the Ashes are the pinnacle of the game so I’m absolutely devastated to be missing the rest of this series,” Pietersen said.

“Up until now the achilles injury has been manageable but it recently reached the point where we needed to look at other options in terms of treatment.

“I hate missing matches for England, and especially during an Ashes summer, but now that the decision has been made to undergo surgery I’m confident I can return to the England team injury-free following a course of rehabilitation.”

Pietersen had further jabs in his achilles and back before each of the first two series Tests but the situation became so bad at Lord’s, where he scored 32 and 44, that he spent long periods off the field receiving treatment and was hampered in his movement while on it.

“I was pleased with the previous course of treatment as it allowed me to take part in this series but the injury has recently deteriorated,” Pietersen was forced to admit.

“To leave a winning dressing room at this time is heartbreaking but it wouldn’t be fair to the team or myself to continue given the severity of the injury.

“I’ll be supporting the team closely and wish them the best of luck as they look to build on the brilliant win at Lord’s and reclaim the Ashes.”

England and Wales Cricket Board chief medical officer Nick Peirce admitted they had been left with no alternative.

“A number of short-term measures were considered but having been reviewed by the specialist, who flew into London from Sweden specifically, it was felt that anything else would put the tendon at risk and jeopardise his long-term recovery.”

Warwickshire’s Ian Bell will replace Pietersen, on his home Edgbaston turf, having been named in the first two Test squads.