Media reports claim that Denly had been asked by the team management to stay at the crease for at least 100 deliveries.
A swing and a miss from England's Joe Denly as the ball hits him on the shoulder on the fourth day of the first Test cricket match between England and the West Indies at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton, southwest England on July 11, 2020. (Photo by Mike Hewitt / POOL / AFP)
Former England batsman Kevin Pietersen has criticised the current team management for the way they handled 34-year-old batsman Joe Denly.
Notably, Denly was dropped from the ongoing second Test match between England and West Indies after he managed scores of 18, 24 in the two innings respectively in the series opener at Southampton. The hosts lost the four wickets at the Ageas Bowl.
“The way that Joe Denly has been treated over the last two years, being told by senior management to just try and face 100 balls, is atrocious,” Pietersen was quoted as saying by betwayinsider.
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“I saw what Denly did in the Big Bash a couple of seasons ago. He turned up and started whacking everybody all around Australia. The guys at my team, Melbourne Stars, couldn’t believe what they were seeing. I played with him in the first part of his England career, too. He always looked to attack and get after the bowling,” he added.
Media reports claim that Denly had been asked by the team management to stay at the crease for at least 100 deliveries.
“He has every shot. He’s got a wonderful cover drive, he plays the pull shot, he plays the hook shot. I’d definitely like to see him be given the opportunity to go out and bat freely. If that doesn’t work then he’s not good enough for Test-match cricket,” said Pietersen.
“But you can’t tell him to change his ways, just face 100 balls, and then drop him because he doesn’t do it. It’s truly abysmal,” he added.
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