Former England cricketer Kevin Pietersen has hit back at Michael Vaughan’s jibe on him and asked the former skipper to not spread negativity during the time when the world is struggling against the deadly COVID-19 pandemic.

Vaughan, who has been one of the most successful skippers for his country but is known for his outspoken attitude, had said that many England players were jealous of Pietersen’s “massive” contract with the Indian Premier League (IPL) side Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2009.

Reacting to Vaughan, Pietersen on Thursday took to his official Twitter handle and wrote, “Staggering! Still getting headlines, these stories! Can I humbly request that this isn’t spoken about again! We’ve all moved on and there’s many more wonderful things to talk about in my career! We live in a broken world right now, where positivity is needed!”

STAGGERING! Still getting headlines, these stories!

Can I humbly request that this ISN’T spoken about AGAIN!
We’ve all moved on and there’s many more wonderful things to talk about in my career!

We live in a broken world right now, where positivity is needed!

PLEASE?! 🙏🏻 https://t.co/iX4DimqsrC

— Kevin Pietersen🦏 (@KP24) April 23, 2020

Vaughan had criticised Pietersen earlier as well, saying that Pietersen should never have turned up for the national team following the 2012 Text-gate controversy.

The former swashbuckling batsman, Pietersen, was accused of sending text messages to South African players and giving them tips about how to bowl against the then-England captain Andrew Strauss.

“It had a huge effect on English cricket for a while and I still think it has a massive effect on a few individuals. I still think there are a few who have come out of this worse,” Vaughan told foxsports.com.au.

“I’ve never seen 100 per cent clarification that that was the case, but if he did, I personally said at the time and have said it since, he shouldn’t have ever played for England again.

“If an England player, doesn’t matter who it is, (is) found to be texting the opposing international team how to get one of your own players out I don’t think he should have played for England again,” he further added.