London, Apr. 1 : England batsman Kevin Pietersen has defended his decision to play in the Indian Premier League only a few days after complaining of homesickness during England''s lengthy tour of the Caribbean.

Pietersen said: "What happens in two weeks is a totally different kettle of fish and that''s the difference."

Pietersen believes he will be helping England by developing his game with his participation in the IPL.

He added: "Everybody on the tour wants to go home, everybody wants to see their families. I''m going to spend a week at home with my wife and then go back to business.

Pietersen was signed up for a staggering 1.5 million US dollars by Bangalore, which he will earn on a pro-rata basis depending on the number of games he plays.

He has to return to England by May 1 before the first Test at Lord''s against West Indies six days later.

He insisted that financial gain was not his motivation, claiming: "It''s not a case of playing cricket for money. Yes, there is money attached to it but I''m going to learn, play with the best players in the world and it''s an opportunity to improve my game," he said. (ANI)