Daijiworld Media Network - London

London, Apr 7: Former England captain Kevin Pietersen has made a sensational claim that his international career ended prematurely due to a fallout with the England and Wales Cricket Board over his participation in the Indian Premier League.

In an interview with YouTuber Ranveer Allahbadia, Pietersen alleged that the ECB initiated a “witch-hunt” against him through sections of the media during the early years of the IPL.

The ECB had barred centrally contracted players from participating in the inaugural 2008 IPL season, with Dimitri Mascarenhas being the only English player to feature that year. A year later, players were allowed limited participation, following which Pietersen joined Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2009.

According to Pietersen, his decision to prioritise the league strained his relationship with the board. “I made big sacrifices. I lost my career… that’s the reason why everybody in that establishment went against me,” he said.

The flamboyant batter, who played 104 Tests and scored 8,181 runs with 23 centuries, said he believed he could have achieved far greater milestones. “I should have played 150-160 Tests and scored 12,000-13,000 runs,” he remarked.

Pietersen also alleged that the ECB used British daily The Telegraph to target him during the interview, though he declined to elaborate further.

Despite the setback, Pietersen said his stance helped future generations of England players gain the freedom to participate in franchise cricket. Referring to a recent interaction with Jos Buttler, he noted that current players acknowledge the sacrifices made during that phase.

Pietersen later represented Delhi Daredevils and Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL and was appointed mentor of Delhi Capitals in 2025.