Pietersen seeks to lift England team's morale after series loss to India
Bangalore, Nov. 24: England cricket captain Kevin Pietersen has urged his players to keep their chins up and give the Indians a run for their money in the remaining three one-day internationals and the two Test matches.
"We''re in India and we''ve still got a Test series to come and what better place to play cricket than a place where cricket is a religion? The boys have been treated well, they''ve been having a fantastic time and I want their chins up. I don''t want to see anybody with their heads down and moping around – we want to come back firing on all cylinders on Wednesday (in Cuttack)," The Telegraph quoted Pietersen, as saying.
The tourists have lost the series four games to nil
"We''ve got to bounce back and make sure we keep this series competitive – we''re going to hold our heads up high and get on with trying to win some games of cricket," Pietersen said.
"India played fantastic cricket, they played with a lot of freedom, without any fear and with a lot of confidence after beating Australia. Somebody in the India line-up tends to come out and do us. Yuvraj has done us on occasions and when Virender Sehwag bats like that it''s great to watch but when you''re the opposing captain it''s very hard work," he added.
India are expected to rest some of their senior players in advance of the two Test series against England which starts in Ahmedabad on December 11.
Left-arm seamer Zaheer Khan and Harbhajan Singh may take a well-earned break but Sehwag, who has scored half-centuries in three of the four matches in the series, says he would prefer to continue playing while he is in form. (ANI)