Injured Pietersen, Flintoff look to Ashes

Kevin Pietersen may play in the Ashes with pain-killers because he may not have the time to undergo full treatment in a busy cricketing calendar. Pietersen has been diagnosed with a back ailment due to which his Achilles is getting affected.

Pietersen had missed the game against Netherlands in the ICC World T20, which England had gone on to lose. He came back in the Pakistan game to score a 38-ball 58 and get his team into the second round of the tournament.

Apparently, he had woken up and could not move around in his home, causing him to take an injection which settled the injury down a little. He said, “I woke up on Friday and I couldn’t walk down the stairs of my home. It was a huge shock because everything had been going to plan and I’d been playing pain free in the warm-ups. It was as frustrating as anything because I love playing for England and hate missing games.” > It has been said that in order this injury, Pietersen may need to take a few weeks of break from the sport, but with the English playing the Ashes from July, it will be difficult task to do for him. Immediately after the Ashes, England participate in the Champions Trophy in South Arica, which is followed by the Champions League, in which his Royal Challengers Bangalore will also feature and then the year will be rounded up with a tour to South Africa in November. > On the other hand, Andrew Flintoff is seemingly taking small steps towards full recovery from knee injury which caused him to pull out of the IPL after playing in only three games and then missing both, the West Indies and the ICC World T20. Flintoff was one of England’s main weapons in their triumph over the Aussies in the 2005 Ashes and they will want him to regain full fitness for the series.